Take Charge of your Thoughts
Are you aware that our thoughts are often acting like a tape replaying over and over again? Not only that, 99% of what we thought yesterday, we will think again today. Our thoughts are often unnoticed even though we are thinking them. And we often are still carrying the thoughts that we developed during our growing up years. These thoughts play deep in our subconscious. It was our early years when we developed our life script of who we are and how much we are loved. It was here that we developed our “self-talk” which becomes the tapes we play over and over again. These thoughts, this self concept becomes hard-wired in our brain. We associate situations with certain thoughts and our brain goes right to the well-trodden pathway to repeat the thoughts again and again. Often times our self-talk isn’t very loving. We may habitually make derogatory comments to ourselves and not even notice we are doing it. But the thoughts impact how we feel. They impact what we think of ourselves. They impact what we can accomplish in the world and how we embrace our authentic self. And we can change our thoughts.
You start by catching the thoughts that fleet through your head. Begin a list of what you catch yourself saying to yourself. Then you change the thoughts to a positive. These positive statements may not feel truthful, but realize that you have to practice saying the affirmations, over and over again, until you really can start to step into the thoughts and believe them on an internal level. Some of my favorites affirmations are: I am lovable; I am worthwhile; I am enough; I am; I am deserving; Life is good; Pick your affirmation for the day. Sticky note it around you so you don’t forget to say it and start a new tape, one that will make you feel better about you. When we feel good about ourselves we can then put ourselves out in the world to do whatever we are to do for the day. You are in charge of feeling good about yourself.
Tags: be aware of your thoughts, Catch your thoughts, Change your thoughtsABOUT THE AUTHOR
Janie Pfeifer Watson
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner- Janie Pfeifer Watson, LICSW, is the founder and director of Wholeness Healing Center, a mental health practice in Grand Island, Nebraska with remote sites in Broken Bow and Kearney. Her expertise encompasses a broad range of areas, including depression, anxiety, attachment and bonding, coaching, couples work, mindfulness, trauma, and grief. She views therapy as an opportunity to learn more about yourself as you step more into being your authentic self. From her perspective this is part of the spiritual journey; on this journey, she serves as a mirror for her clients as they get to know themselves—and, ultimately, to love themselves.
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