Ep-20- (Why are you thinking what you are thinking?) Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

Episode 20 in the Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired series. Why are you thinking what you are thinking? And what is it doing to You? Our thoughts are one of the most significant functions of our existence. But we put more thought into what we will eat for breakfast than what we are thinking about. Our thoughts have become a set-and-forget operation. But this is like leaving a small child unattended in another room; as soon as they become silent, it's time to see what they are up to. Our minds will not alert us to what they are up to. And we have stopped checking in on them. So here is the problem: our minds are the central hub of everything we do, how we do it, and when we do it. There is a tool called (CBT) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (don't be thrown off by the therapy part of it)- One of the influential components of CBT is the cognitive triangle, which demonstrates the interrelated nature of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT aims to help the individual understand how their thoughts impact their actions. There are three pillars of CBT: identification, recognition, and management. The concept indicates that what we think makes us act a certain way. Then, when we perform a certain way, we look at ourselves, making us believe a certain way about ourselves. Thinking is a vicious cycle of cause and effect. As you can see, this can be very helpful or full-blown disastrous. Can you imagine driving with your eyes closed? You would arbitrarily accelerate and turn left or right without any idea of the environment. You can see how our lives can quickly become out of our control. Gloom and doom can become our believed destination. And since we always end up in gloom and doom land, our thoughts must be correct, right? Heck No! Our thoughts may seem authentic. But our thoughts are only the imagination between us and the real world. Anyone can think of anything at any time. But it doesn't mean the thoughts are correct. If we get used to a particular way of thinking, it will feel natural. And the habits formed from the thinking will become second nature. Habits can be constructive or destructive. We can all agree constructive serves us better. But without evaluation, how do you know what your thoughts are doing to you? Enumerable studies show a direct correlation between our thoughts and the health of our bodies, from Hypochondria to ancient cultures where mystics and shamans could will themselves into death. We add that when a particular thought sequence stimulates our brains, there are appropriate hormone releases. The hormones can be helpful or harmful depending on the category of thoughts. Our brains do not differentiate between imagination and reality. Consequently, we can send our bodies on a thousand journeys while sitting in a chair in our home or workspace. Amazingly, each day, our minds are inundated with a constant stream of thoughts, ranging from mundane daily tasks to deeper contemplations concerning life and the world around us. According to research, the average person has approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. According to the National Science Foundation, 80% of our thoughts are disparaging, and 95% are repetitive. Unfortunately for us, that is a lot of negative, repetitive thoughts! We all have thoughts and feelings about ourselves and integral aspects of our lives—relationships, work, and school. As you can see, that is a lot of power over our lives that we leave to chance. That's worse than giving a stranger your debit card and ATM password and not checking your account balance. But just as destructive, if not more. I want you to try a quick exercise for the next twenty seconds (while you are not distracted). Don't think of elephants. Whatever you do, completely rid your mind of elephants. I am sure you quickly discovered that was all you could think of. Should we turn our sales with or against the wind? Even if you are not a sailboat captain, you know the answer. Okay, we are not sailing, but let us use the winds of our minds. We know we have about 60,000 thoughts daily, and 95% are repetitive. Let's harness the natural power of our minds by mastering the art of thinking "good stuff." For instance, if we are in a disruptive relationship, imagine how it would be if it were great. If you have a hard time with coworkers, a boss, a child, or a life situation, imagine how wonderful it could be. Okay, you probably think, "How can I do that?" or "That cannot be done!" Then, keep telling yourself not to think how great things can be. And yes, you guessed it, you won't be able to think about anything else. The term commonly used to describe the phenomenon of trying not to think about something, which ironically leads to an increased focus on that very thing, is called the "rebound effect" or "ironic process theory." It refers to the tendency of our minds to bring to the forefront the very thoughts or ideas we are trying to suppress or avoid. So, when we actively try not to think about something, it often occupies our thoughts even more prominently. Your mind will automatically send you in the right direction. It's like a disobedient child that you suddenly realize does everything the opposite way you ask them to. Tell them not to do the thing you want them to. Does anyone know the story of Brare Rabbit and Brare Fox and the Bramble bush? In case you don't, Brare Fox is always trying to catch and eat Brare Rabbit. The rabbit gets stuck in tar. The fox is about to eat the rabbit. The rabbit tells the fox, please go ahead and eat me. But don't throw me into the bramble bush. (which is full of thorns) The rabbit sticks out his leg and says, please take a bite, but don't throw me in the bush. The fox believes that the bush must be worse than hating the rabbit, So he tosses the rabbit into the bush. The rabbit struggles through the bush. The thorns comb the tar from its body, and the rabbit escapes through the other side of the bush. Tell your mind not to throw you in the Bramble Bush (Your positive thoughts) so you can comb the tar of negativity off you. And escape to the other side—safe and sound. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. See you on the other side of the Bramble Bush. Well, my friends, until next time. Please remember to Love Yourself. You are Not Alone. You are relevant and worthy. How About that?