Trying to find peace with the mind is like trying to open a lock with a banana.
I was watching a quick video from my favourite “mind” guru — Dr. Joe Dispenza and he said “just because thoughts make sense doesn’t mean they are true”. I can’t read this line enough!
In my NLP certifications we are taught to question our thoughts — especially the “negative” ones. How many do you have in a given day? Have you ever thought about it?
A new study from psychologists at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario reports observations of the transition from one thought to another in fMRI brain scans. As per the study we have 6,200 per day if you are average — other literature suggests a whopping 60,000 as the highest number.
What you tell yourself is important. We all do this little narrative in our heads — sometimes it is like a grumpy bystander who critiques everything we do and sometimes what others do and say. Sometimes the narrative is chirpy and is delighted at the face of adversity which just looks like an adventure to them. So child like!
The video explains how important it is to have the “right” mindset. There is also plenty of literature on how to build a positive mindset. Ask Google!
But I would like to side step in to the topic of my article.
Just because your mind thinks it — doesn’t make it true. Are all your thoughts true?
Let me give you an example by explaining a “limiting belief” that I had about myself.
I once believed I lacked discipline. I believed this was true. I felt that I failed at everything because I lacked discipline. I would often hear myself like a broken record telling myself that I lacked focus and discipline.
Did I know what discipline looked like? Yes! Did I have goals I wanted to achieve? Yes! Did I fail at things? Yes!
Where did this come from? Why did I feel so? Where did I feel I actually lacked discipline? What was one specific area that I thought I did not have discipline? The first example that came to mind was EXERCISE!
My fitness levels in the past have always been a low priority in my life. I had tried many times to get “skinny”. Here, by me referring to the word “skinny” — you can note that my relationship with “health” needed improvement.
I asked myself the question of — were there times that I showed discipline? In other areas of life had I excelled due to my discipline? To which my head gave me a swift response. Of course! I had! I have! I do! And just like a movie reel — my mind played back events where I excelled due to discipline.
I was beating myself up for not sticking to a health regime and poorly labeling the root cause as lack of discipline!
Does this sound familiar to you? Does this make sense?
Once I understood the problem I went about creating new and empowering beliefs about my health — discipline had nothing to do with it.
We often don’t dig beneath the surface and question the validity of our negative emotions and thoughts. Labels or comments people have put on us in passing — sometimes have long lasting effects.
We are often our own biggest enemy — in the speed of light. Faster maybe.
What thoughts do you need to change today?
