Thought Pause Page

posted: Sep. 15, 2023

Source: Positive Affirmation Thoughts

Thoughts Become Beliefs

Gail Roberson, MS LPC

Thoughts: The Basic Elements of Life

A thought, no matter how fleeting, is the beginning of our story, and we alone are the authors of our lives. The best thing about a thought is that it can be received, rejected, challenged, changed, or edited in any way you choose. One important separation between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom is that our brains can reason. We can think about what we are thinking, and mental health professionals have developed many mental health techniques, which we can view as “tools” to create and manage the way we think about things. Humans can vet, edit, and manage a thought, or we can choose to reject a particular thought altogether.

One of the biggest challenges humans face is understanding that thoughts are questions, not statements. Even if a thought sounds like an absolute fact, even if it is familiar, even if we have accepted that same thought as truth many times before, it is important to realize that each thought that presents in our brains can be vetted, and either used in a way that serves the life experience we desire, or we can dismiss it as rubbish, and keep it out of our minds.

Learning how to manage your thought-life is the first step to managing your life experience. The primary key to thought management is “Awareness”. Tune in to listen to what your brain is telling you. Are you pleased with the story your thoughts are telling? If so, continue your story by inviting other thoughts to join in as you create the life you want to live. If you realize that a certain thought is not serving your overall life goal, then challenge it by asking if there are other options, other perspectives, or a different direction in which you want to take your thought, and ultimately, your life.

JOURNAL IDEAS

PROMPT #1:

Keep a “Thought Journal.”

The great thing about raising your awareness of your thoughts through journaling is that it allows you to intentionally collect only the thoughts with which you want to fill your mind-space. That allows you to make room for the thoughts you really want to keep.

Notice what you are thinking a couple of times each day. Then, select one of your thoughts and practice processing it in your journal. First, write your thought in sentence-form. Then, write about it. Do you like it? Do you want to change it? Will it serve your life in a positive way? Do you need to restructure it so it better aligns with your values? Finally, decide if you will adopt, restructure, or reject the thought. If it aligns with the way you want to live your life, adopt it. If not, then intentionally restructure it so that it better aligns with your values. If you can see that a particular thought will likely take you far away from the life you desire for yourself, it might be a better option to reject it completely.

EXAMPLE:

TODAY, I NOTICED THE THOUGHT THAT:

I CHOOSE TO KEEP, EDIT, OR REJECT THIS THOUGHT.

MY NEW THOUGHT IS:

MY THOUGHT WILL SERVE MY LIFE BY:

Today, I noticed the thought that I may embarrass myself if I begin yoga class since I have never done yoga before.

I choose to edit this thought.

Now, my new thought is: I am going to yoga for myself, not others, and I will become better and more confident with practice.

My new thought will serve my life by giving me the opportunity to improve my overall physical fitness.

To support you in this activity, I suggest considering a journal which you can use as a “Thought Journal”. As an Amazon affiliate, I would like to make a couple of suggestions for your consideration.

PROMPT #2:

Create a “Thought Mantra.”

Select a thought you have vetted and accepted. Make a sentence or phrase from it. Then repeat that as one of your mantras for the week.

EXAMPLE:

IDENTIFY A THOUGHT YOU HAVE DECIDED TO ADOPT.

MAKE YOUR THOUGHT FIT INTO A SHORT PHRASE OR SENTENCE. *THIS BECOMES YOUR MANTRA. *

SAY YOUR NEW MANTRA 10 TIMES TO FEEL THE RHTYM OF IT.

My thought is: I will make my body strong enough to enjoy sports, travel, and going to the gym.

I will strengthen my body with good nutrition, rest, and exercise.

My mantra is: I am making my body strong. I am making my body strong. I am making my body strong…… etc……

To support you in this activity, I suggest considering mantra beads to aide you in this activity. As an Amazon affiliate, I would like to make a couple of suggestions for your consideration.