| We talked about our brains and how they play (*hint: they can play dirty, and you’ve gotta be a BOSS when it comes to dealing with your thoughts!) We talked about naming your amygdala so you can differentiate between thoughts that are true, thoughts that “keep you safe” but aren’t necessarily in your best interest, and thoughts that are helpful. We talked about thought work and the thought ladder, and how to work through unhelpful, limiting beliefs and consequent thoughts. Our thoughts directly imprint themselves on our lives via: • the story we allow them to tell • the background noise • the allowing of thoughts • the availability of our receptivity When we make the decision to pay attention to the things we are saying to ourselves, AND then choose different thoughts when we find ourselves with endless thought loops that no longer serve us, we find a new path, a new way. We’ve all been our own Mean Girls to ourselves with the endless put-downs – • OMG, look at my thighs! • I’ve gotta lose weight! • My hair is a mess! • I am a hot mess! • I can’t wear that! • I look fat! • I look ugly! • This hair … these teeth … my skin … |
| The list goes on and on and on, and it can be an all-day assault! This is CLASSIC bullying, and look who’s perpetuating it and onto whom … STOP. DROP. ROLL and let’s put this fire OUT! Viciousness like this toward anyone, yourself included, is heinous and WRONG! Remember, you have a say about the thoughts you’re thinking. Yes, society, culture, other people, and more all have influence on our thinking, but THANKFULLY, we have more! Remember, earlier this week, we made 2 important discoveries about thoughts: 1. They aren’t necessarily true. 2. They don’t have to be obeyed. So, to really change up our thoughts, we need to start questioning them. Are they factual? How does this thought make me feel? Where’d that come from? And my favorite – IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS, or … do I need to just dump it? Do I need to think of something new instead? Is this really a call-to-action about something else? Everything we think is a choice, and these thought choices become habitual. Remember: You can think different thoughts. You’re not being held against your will by an angry amygdala! Contrast and write down your horrible thoughts with something else. Create flash cards if you need to. Don’t fake it – MAKE IT! Be effective, not phony! |