Do you sometimes feel like your considerations are in direct opposition to your Being? If you are at war with your mind or struggle against dark emotions, it may be time to develop a healthy relationship with your thoughts.
However, what does it mean to have a nourishing association with your mind? Furthermore, if this is something that you are looking to achieve, what are some ways to create a positive and productive correlation with your reflections?
If you would like to learn how to free your mind from unwanted thoughts, we invite you to explore the ways in which you can create more harmony between your Being and your brain. You actually have more control over your mind than you may think!
- What Is Your Relationship with Your Thoughts?
As humans, we often cling to our ideas or concerns, gripping them tightly as if to assert some control. However, this usually results in us holding on to thoughts that do not serve us in a positive way and it sometimes results in poisoning our mental health.
“Most of us assume that all of our thoughts are both true and valuable, and as a result, we tend to ruminate on them. In reality, our thoughts come and go; some may be profound, but more often, they are just passing.”
- Signs That Your Relationship with Emotions is Unhealthy
Sometimes, we are so immersed in our own negative thought patterns that it’s challenging to notice unhealthy behaviors. Actions that may seem ‘normal’ to us may merely be out of habit but do not actually add anything empowering to our lives.
Are you truly aware of how you relate to your own thoughts?
Furthermore, would you be able to recognize a destructive relationship with your emotions?
“You’ve got to recognize the many ways in which — consciously or
not — you treat your emotions like enemies…If you want to start building a healthier, less painful relationship with your emotions, you must learn to see the patterns of avoidance and aggression with your own emotions.”
Below are signs that you are struggling with your thoughts and emotions. The good news is that you can then create change once you are aware of your relationship to your internal dialogue.
- You numb yourself to avoid feeling certain emotions. You may think that it’s easier to ignore what you feel than to acknowledge dark feelings. This can be in the form of substance abuse, overworking yourself, or continually staying busy with menial tasks.
- You constantly criticize yourself. Your negative self-talk is so loud that it drowns out other feelings and completely dismisses your needs.
- You are judgmental towards others. The way in which you critique yourself tends to spill over into criticizing others.
- You are impatient (with yourself and others). Since you have no time for your own emotions, you are dismissive of what other people are also feeling.
- You avoid taking responsibility for your actions. Because you are out of tune with your own emotions, you lack self-awareness and tend to blame others for negative happenings.
- How To Gather Your Thoughts
If it feels like your mind is scattered about and your thoughts are getting away from you, it might be time to pull in the reins. And while it may seem as though your thoughts are out of control, you definitely have the ability to gather and sort any challenging emotions or ideas.
“If you suffer from anxiety, you probably have a contentious and complicated relationship with your mind…It gives you all these thoughts about what you should be scared of and horrible things that could happen to you.”
There are alternative and spiritual practices that you can use to aid in helping to calm yourself. Meditation, breathwork, and yoga are excellent techniques that can be honed to create more harmony within your Being.
That said, there are other methods that may be easier to incorporate into your daily routine, using simple ways to create change. Let’s explore how you can corral your thoughts before they carry you down an anxiety rabbit hole.
- See your thoughts, not as truths. The thing about your mind is that it can trick you into believing that your thoughts are truths; they aren’t. Try to remember that an anxious idea is merely that and not a fact.
- Name your emotion(s). If your thoughts tell you that you are going to die or that you are not good enough, what is the underlying feeling behind those ideas? If you can pinpoint the origin of the notion, you will have a much easier time of controlling the thought.
- Move your body. A fun way to escape your mind is to channel your energy into movement. Try taking a meditative stroll or walk to your favorite music; bonus points for getting outside for some fresh air in Mother Nature!
- Journal in a notebook or express yourself creatively. Releasing negativity and anxiety through art or writing can be quite helpful in quieting your mind and developing a healthier relationship. Instead of running from your thoughts, tap into them as a source of creative inspiration.
- Share your worries with a trusted friend. Sometimes, all we need is to unload our anxieties by talking them out with a friend or a partner. Getting your concerns out of your head and out into the Universe gives you the opportunity to examine and dissect the source of your thoughts.
While it is possible to free yourself from malicious and oppressive ideas, it is impossible to stop thinking entirely. However, if you can embrace and befriend your concerns, you will be able to create a more profound sense of peace, making your mind your ally instead of your enemy.
You can learn how to free yourself from the toxic burden of possessing anxious and obsessive thought patterns. With the use of self-awareness, mindfulness exercises, and by incorporating forms of helpful self-expression, you can develop a healthy relationship with your thoughts.
