Thoughts…what are they good for?

For some period of time, I’ve been battling #negative, and sometimes, #catastrophic #thoughts. They range from all kinds of things. Say, a bad thought pops in. I see the image. Then, for whatever reason, I try to solve it. In other words, for whatever reason, I’m giving those thoughts power. I’ll say this, too: Humility is a teacher with a weird sense of humor.

This past Saturday, I went on the longest #motorbike ride I’ve had since I was a kid. While I didn’t accumulate a ton of miles, I was able to ride almost 4 hours. I had a great time, and I’m grateful for the loaner bike to do this. I went on backroads mostly and went to a place I’ve never been before. There were moments when I had thoughts of “getting it” or “doing well.” Check this out, though: Then, I’d encounter something that would remind me I have more to learn.

It’s the same with thoughts. Although I’ve been a #counselor for years and years, there’s always more to #learn. As insightful as I think I am or you think you are, we can #improve.

I’ve been learning different things to do to battle these negative thoughts. I want to share them with you today: #faith or #friends or #family or all three, #acknowledge the thoughts, and asking if the thought is #helpful or not. First, I rely on my faith, family, and friends. If you are not of a faith, you can choose positive family members or friends. Sometimes, we need #encouragement and a heaping dose of #positivity. #Prayer is huge for me not just because I may have a need or someone I know has a need, but also because it connects me to #Jesus.

A big thing I’m working on this year is acknowledging these thoughts that often contain #fear. They often can trigger a fear-type of response. Videos such as Therapy in a Nutshell‘s dealing with the parasympathetic response with four very simple, quick exercises can be so helpful. In her #podcast, she mentions using funny voices or singing the thought. Brad Yates‘ EFT videos to clear fear using tapping can be useful, too.

Finally, recognizing thoughts are going to pop in. For whatever reason, we’re negatively wired individuals. We think about negative things. Thoughts don’t make us good, bad, or ugly. They just are. Thoughts don’t define you. Seriously, I don’t know how people put a number on the amount of thoughts we think in a day, but it’s a ridiculous amount. If some of these thoughts are negative or catastrophic or whatever, so be it. These are thoughts. We ultimately give them power, OR we don’t. A way we can remove that power is asking ourselves if the thought is helpful or not. Think of being a little kid with a crayon. You are in charge of what color you choose and what you draw. Thoughts can function similarly. If the though is not helpful, on to the next one!

No matter your circumstances or lot in life, you can learn different way to manage yourself in a manner that is more suitable for you. If you find you cannot do it on your own, get professional help. I believe having multiple tools to use is important; that way, whichever comes to mind, you can use it. You have something available. Whatever you do, remember you can do it. You can learn new ways to manage yourself better. When a negative thought pops in, use your faith, family, or friends; use exercises such as deep #breathing, triggering your parasympathetic response, or EFT tapping. Evaluate if the thought is helpful. Finally, remember you’re holding the crayon. You get to choose your color and what you draw.