Do you pay attention to your thoughts? What thoughts do you filter or discard without conscience attention? Consider the thoughts that take hold and shape your day. The brain is a muscle that is exercised in a certain way. When you continually think in a similar way, the brain is trained to continue that same thinking pattern. Much like an athlete training for a race, the brain is also trained to think the way it most consistently thinks. How healthy are your thoughts? Are they ready for a race?
Consider the classic thought, “I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” In one scenario a person might get out of bed, subsequently stub their toe, lose their keys and go on to have, “one of those days.” If you reframed that classic thought to, “I woke up feeling a bit off, but I am going to have an enjoyable day,” could that change the course of the day? What happens if in this second scenario the person still went on to stub their toe and lose their keys? Person in scenario two may say, “I am ready for this wonderful day and nothing is going to stand in my way.” How else could you reframe that classic thought to better enjoy the day ahead?
The likelihood of picking up on negativity increases when the brain is geared towards negative thinking. The brain will not only increase the likelihood of picking up on those negative thoughts, but will also discard most or all situations, events, and thoughts that do not coincide with that negative thought pattern. In other words, the brain will discard positive events. In scenario one, that person may not even notice the magnificent sunrise, the neighbor waving, or that first sip of coffee in the morning. Person in scenario two would be more likely to acknowledge those events.
Awareness is the first step towards changing any thought pattern. I encourage those interested to take a moment and notice how your own personal thoughts are influencing your day. Is it going to be, “one of those days,” or is it time to try a new thought?
Taking this idea and putting it into practice in day to day living could be as simple as posting an inspirational quote by your bedside or on your bathroom mirror. Other possibilities could be listening to upbeat music, acknowledging a positive trait about yourself, or simply taking a nice deep breath as you start the day.
Each month a mental health therapist will discuss an area of mental health. This week’s contributor is Kelly J. Senty, M.A. in Counseling Psychology, with Steps of Change.
Leave a Reply