Thoughts are just thoughts!
Have you ever had thoughts that were swirling around in your mind and not letting you be at peace – and I mean disturbing thoughts, ones you would rather not have? And you tried to think of something else, or started pushing them away and beating yourself up about having them? And did that work? Let me tell you, that never works!
If it’s some decision you have to make, and you mind is just presenting you with the drawbacks inherent in each situation, then it’s time for you to go and do something fun, something you really enjoy and only from that place of contentment and serenity, go back to looking not at the drawbacks, but at the advantages and blessings each of them would hold for you. Then list them in two separate columns.
Now forget about the decision you have to make, and think of what you really value in life. What are the most important things for you? Your health, having money, your family, business success, safety and security, connection to Spirit, being respected and influential, time for yourself, beauty or vitality? Number them from the most important one to the least important, and see which three most important values would be met by your list 1, or list 2. That would already give you an indication.
And then, another way of looking at disturbing thoughts that don’t require a decision, but just make you anxious, worried or unhappy, is to ask, “Is this thought really true? Or am I making it up? Am I drawing conclusions because of past experiences I have had?”
You will begin to realize that most of your thoughts are totally made up by your ego. Thoughts are just that, thoughts! You don’t have to believe them. As soon as you examine them, you find that really, you don’t know whether they are true; and the real question then becomes, how much are you invested in believing the conclusions you have come to, in your mind?
Can you sit with your thought of “I’ll get fired from my job for this!” and realize: this is a thought about getting fired! Nothing more. You don’t know what will happen. You are just projecting your fears, and what may have happened to others, on your own future.
Or if you are feeling incapable, a bad parent for forgetting to get bread for the kids’ school sandwiches – it’s just a thought about being incapable and a bad parent! Is that really, really true? Of course not – and there are lots of crackers or fruit or healthy veggies for them to take, this once!
So can you just witness the thoughts arising and moving through your mind, witness the comings and goings and reactions of people to each other, regardless of what judgments or observations come up for you; and become aware that you don’t have to believe in any of it, if you don’t choose to do so.
It’s never an event or situation that makes you anxious or worried, it’s only your thoughts about it that create your feelings, and you don’t have to believe your thoughts!
