It is said that we have 60-80,000 thoughts passing through our minds everyday, and get this…. 85% are repeat, mainly negative thoughts! That’s right, same old same old, regurgitated thoughts. Now some of these are necessary to keep us from descending into total chaos like “oh, it’s a work day”, “avoid that busy intersection” or “avoid that annoying person”. But, a lot of thoughts keep us stuck in the same, recurring habits that keep us trapped in less-than-ideal circumstances, jobs and relationships. You deserve better. You have access to so much more than recycled trash.
In my opinion, the greatest benefit of mindfulness is that it allows us to slow down and observe the thoughts that are running the show. What is your theme? From there, we can determine who is true and who is not. It is only then that we might choose a different course of action, which may also include no reaction.
Take relationships for example. When I see couples, they are usually repeating the same negative patterns of arguments over and over… and over. What if you were to recognize the “Here we go again” or “He/She always/never does that”, and choose a different response from the usual knee-jerk reaction that keeps you stuck in the rut. Maybe it is silence, maybe it is leaning in and asking questions, maybe it’s getting curious about them, or yourself.
What is your theme? What are the victim stories you run about yourself or your life? YOU get to choose what you will believe, all the time, every time, without exception. That, my friend, is freedom.
