The mind is a powerful tool and through it we can achieve great things. All man-made things originated in someone’s mind.
The human mind is an inexhaustible source of new thoughts. We think of something new all the time. It appears one after the other.
The difficulty begins when some of those thoughts we have are thoughts that hinder rather than help.
Therefore, it is important to learn to control the mind to nourish thoughts that contribute positively to your life, leaving aside the opposite thoughts.
We can choose to encourage positive thoughts or leave the mind on autopilot to accept negative ones.
Assuming this control can have a very positive impact on the way you feel and act, as a result, on your results.
Here is a process to help with this mind control.
1. Observe the thoughts
It is one thing to have a thought and another thing to be aware of it.
As it happens to most people, a thought first arises. This one ends and moves on to the next one. Then, to the next, to the next, and so it goes on forever. This happens automatically in an endless chain.
In this step, a new activity is added in this cycle. Observation of thoughts. You begin to observe what you are thinking about becoming more aware of it.
Without reacting. Just notice.
For example, let’s say you are thinking about an event that happened today. He received a negative response from a vacancy in a promotion he was aiming for. Now you are feeling frustrated because of that.
As soon as the thought and emotion arise you for a little while. Take your attention off what you were thinking and make an observation to yourself.
Something like “Hmmm, interesting. I just had a thought about not being promoted and I was frustrated because of that. ”
So you have just become aware of what you are thinking and feeling instead of just thinking and feeling for yourself.
Observing the mind is a way of knowing yourself. To realize your way of thinking.
2. Evaluate thoughts
The natural thing for all of us is to have one thought after another and that will take us mentally to all kinds of scenarios. Sometimes scenarios that are not at all positive.
Once you start to become more aware of what your thoughts are, you can start to see if they are thoughts that help or not.
Many of the thoughts we have are self-sabotaging because they put us down instead of raising morale to get what we want.
So, for example, let’s say that the episode of not promoting the previous example brought other thoughts. Thoughts like “I am not good enough for the position I am aiming for”; “I will never get this promotion” .
In the previous observation stage, you become aware that you are having this type of thinking. Before, it was something you just thought about. Now it is something that in addition to thinking it perceives.
Then, after realizing it, evaluate the thought. It makes this assessment from the perspective of those who want to identify whether this is a thought that is contributing or harming their lives. In that case it is possible to see that these thoughts are not good.
Obviously doubting your ability and thinking that you will never get the promotion, it will only serve to put you down and then you will not be able to go forward.
3. Change your thoughts
Once you have identified the thoughts that are not good, you can change them.
You can use your rational side to come to the conclusion that thinking in a certain way is not good for you.
So every time that kind of thinking arises, switch to another one that is more positive.
For example, “If I still didn’t get the promotion, it’s because it wasn’t my time yet. But I am smart, capable and I will find a way. I’ll make it in an hour. ”
Then, every time negative thinking arises, replace it with this new and more appropriate one.
You can also use resources as positive affirmations to make that change in thinking.
Affirmations help you reinforce for yourself what you need to be thinking about.
Concluding
The mind can be a powerful but also a destructive tool. Leaving your mind on autopilot can be a danger as it can end up sabotaging you by taking you on unwanted paths.
Therefore, it is necessary to take control of the mind to strengthen the thoughts that help and eliminate those that do not contribute.
The mind is often lazy. Think what is most comfortable for her. It is easier to be mentally making excuses than to think about the actions that need to be taken to resolve things.
Building a mind with the right thoughts requires intentional work that requires effort. The effort to observe the thoughts, contest them and change them to something that helps instead of reinforcing those that are being harmful.
Therefore, you need to pay attention to what you think in order to assess how healthy your thoughts are being for you and your goals.
Bring conscious control to the way of thinking.
The mind produces thoughts. But it is your intelligence that will decide which thoughts to encourage and take advantage of and which to ignore and discard.
To have the best results in your life we need to educate the mind. Really teach her how to think.