Understanding the Power of a Thought

Most of us never even think about what is going on in our minds. Our thoughts are running willy-nilly through our heads and we don't question them or think about what they are doing to our reality.

Our thoughts get completely out of control sometimes.

We don't have to believe our thoughts. We can question them. We can question whether they are serving us or not.

In life coaching, we use pen and paper to write down everything going on in our minds. We call this a thought download. When you do this, don't filter it. Just get it all out. Sometimes it's ugly...and that's okay.

Thought downloads help us see what is in our mind. After reading over our list of thoughts, it is easier to understand why we feel the way we do.

It is POWERFUL to realize that the thoughts we have are all optional and we can choose different thoughts if we want to.

If a thought comes that makes you feel bad, question it.

One of my mentors is Byron Katie. She has done phenomenal work in the field of questioning our thoughts. She teaches "THE WORK". The work is to ask yourself these questions about your thoughts that bring suffering.

Is it true?

Can you absolutely know that it's true?

How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

Who would you be without the thought?

Turn the thought around to yourself, to the other person or to the opposite. 

If your thought is "He shouldn't be angry with me." The turn around thoughts are: "I shouldn't be angry with me." "I shouldn't be angry with him" or He should be angry with me. 

This work is one way to uncover your possibility with your own thoughts. 

Find thoughts that lead away from harsh judgments and criticism. 

Search for thoughts that help increase understanding and compassion.

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