So often our minds can seem like they are against us instead of for us. They sometimes bombard us with worries, bad memories, frustrations, distractions and discouragements.
We’ve been exploring some different aspects of managing our minds including identifying and changing negative thought patterns.
Managing our minds is vital to being able to manage other aspects of our lives including emotions, relationships, time and money.
Consciously taking a look at what is going on inside our minds helps us become more able to manage our minds instead of letting them control or upset us.
When you notice yourself feeling anxious, discouraged or angry try to identify what you were thinking slightly before the feeling emerged. Then see if you can turn the thought around, or at least lift it up a little.
Don’t berate yourself for having negative thoughts or emotions. This just makes the situation worse. Instead, try to see troublesome thoughts and feelings as allies that serve as indicators of what is going on inside of you.
You can put a label on the emotion such as “worried” or “frustrated”.
This helps to separate the troublesome thoughts from who you are as a person. Rather than labelling yourself as an anxious person or using phrases such as “my anxiety,” try to separate yourself from the anxiety. Just refer to “the anxiety” and identify what’s troubling you.
Creating some mental space between you and a thought or emotion gives you a chance to think things through more calmly and rationally, and protects you from being overwhelmed or over-reacting.
Along with not berating yourself, another good thing to avoid is ignoring or covering up your emotions. This just drives them underground where they build up and then spring up and out at the worst possible times.
Ignoring emotions comes naturally to us, especially when we’re around people who can’t handle emotions. In many environments, it is definitely wise to keep emotions in check but to address them later when we are in a safe space, alone or with people we can trust.
Getting our minds to work for us involves noticing, identifying, and purposefully changing negativity into positivity. This could involve going for a walk or a drive, sitting somewhere comfortable and peaceful, or perhaps talking through situations with someone who understands and cares for you.
Taking control of our thoughts and emotions is an extremely important life skill that will serve us well throughout our lives.
“The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master.” – Robin Sharma
