As you’ve just learned, thoughts can be helpful or unhelpful. We all have both, which is normal, but ideally, we want to maximise the helpful ones and minimise all the rest.
But how, I hear you asking, can we change our thoughts?
Well, if you’ve ever changed your mind before, or someone else’s mind, then you can definitely change your own.
But why, you ask in addition, should I change my mind?
Well basically, because not everything you think is true; just because you think something doesn’t make it real or mean you have to believe it! Thoughts are not facts; and as already mentioned, thoughts are not always helpful.
What’s important, therefore, is to determine which thoughts are helpful and which aren’t. In the Week 22 lesson, Be Aware of Self Sabotage, we reviewed how mindfulness can help with this decision making. But further, asking yourself the following questions has been proven to help individuals separate those thoughts worth ‘keeping’ from those that should be questioned and/or reassessed:
- What thoughts are going through my mind? What am I saying to myself? What story am I telling?
- How do I feel when I think these thoughts? In what way do these thoughts, expectations and/or beliefs impact on my actions? Are these thoughts helpful and realistic?
- If my thoughts are unrealistic then what’s really going on? What are the facts? What evidence is there for and against what I’m telling myself?
- If my thoughts are unhelpful then what’s another way of thinking about things; of interpreting this situation? If someone else was upset about a similar event in a similar way, what would I say to them?
- No matter what’s going on, what positives can I find? What can I do about this situation?
See – it is possible to change your own mind! And it’s something that’s worth doing in your quest to live a SuperLife. Don’t forget to download this super-helpful activity sheet which will guide you through this week’s lesson.
And remember to jump into the Members Facebook Page and share your experiences with the Super Squad – we love a #SuperLifeWin and we’re always happy to help out.