Distinguishing between ourselves and our thoughts
Why it's important to distinguish between ourselves and our thoughts
How many times have you had a thought pop into your head, only to immediately second-guess yourself? We've all been there. Also, at any given moment, you might have dozens of thoughts running through your head.
Our thoughts can be very powerful, while some of them are helpful and insightful, others are mean and unkind. It's important to remember that you are not your thoughts—you simply generate them.
Thoughts are simply data generated from our past experiences. They are helpful for making decisions, but they are not always accurate or relevant to our current circumstance. It's important to be able to distinguish between ourselves and our thoughts so that we can make better decisions in the present moment. Here's why.
How Thoughts Are Generated
Thoughts are generated from data stored in our memories, which include past experiences, both good and bad. This data helps us make decisions by providing context and insight into what we're currently experiencing. However, not all thoughts are created equal. Just because you had a bad experience in the past doesn't mean that you should let it dictate your present. In fact, many times, our thoughts can be Completely Irrelevant to the current situation (CIRTS).
CIRTS occur when we allow our past experiences to color our current interpretation of a situation, even if there is no evidence to support that interpretation. For example, let's say you were hurt by a romantic partner in the past. Every time you start to get close to someone new, your mind starts generating thoughts like "They're going to hurt you" or "You're not good enough for them." These thoughts may sound helpful at first—after all, they're just trying to protect you from getting hurt again—but they're actually preventing you from moving on and finding happiness. If you want to live in the present and create a better future for yourself, it's important to learn how to identify and manage CIRTS.
Our thoughts are not always accurate.
As just mentioned, thoughts are generated from data of our past experiences. This means that they are often based on outdated information or biased perspectives. As a result, our thoughts are not always accurate or helpful in the present moment. It's important to be able to recognize when a thought is inaccurate so that we can quickly let it go and move on.
Our thoughts are not always kind.
Our thoughts can be very mean to us at times. They might tell us that we're not good enough, that we'll never achieve our goals, or that we're alone in this world. These negative thoughts can hold us back from living our best lives. That's why it's important to be able to distinguish between ourselves and our thoughts. We can choose to believe the positive ones and let the negative ones go.
We are not our thoughts. Our thoughts are simply data generated from our past experiences. They do not define who we are as people. We have the power to choose which thoughts we want to believe, and which ones we want to ignore. So if a thought pops into your head that doesn't feel quite right, don't believe it! You know the truth about yourself better than anyone else does.
Our thoughts are generated from data stored in our memories, which include past experiences—both good and bad. Also, while our thoughts are important for helping us make decisions, they are not always accurate or kind. It's important to be able to distinguished between ourselves and our thoughts so that we can make better decisions in the present moment without being bogged down by negativity. When you find yourself doubting yourself, remember that you have the power to choose which thoughts you want to believe. Choose wisely!
From my couch to yours,
Coach Sam