Everyone’s had the experience of being weighed down by negative thoughts: like thinking you’ve screwed up completely, you’ve lost your edge, or you’re not keeping up.
There are many different models for what to do with negative thinking, from re-framing the negative thought to reciting mantras, it looks like there’s a lot to do. So people can get confused when we tell them they don’t have to do anything with their negative thoughts: no wrestling, observing, or analyzing.
Thoughts are ephemeral, they come and go without us doing anything about them. It’s useful to know that even the negative ones won’t stick around if we don’t engage with them. How often have you wrestled with the persistent ones and lost?
Because of thought’s ever-changing nature, a new one is available at any moment. The reason we, at Your Kinda Genius, train people in the assertions and implications of innate genius and then allow them to come up with their own applications is because they will always have the thought that’s perfect for them.
Here’s an example: You have the thought, “Wow, I’m an idiot, I really screwed that up.”
If you’re not concerned by having this thought, it may just pass by. If it doesn’t, but you’re open to quietly listening for the next new thought, you will find your insight, or application.
It might occur to you:
- “I’m just super tired. A quick nap will help everything.”
- “Yeah, that was pretty darn stupid, but I’m human too. Getting upset about it won’t help.”
- “When I’m feeling more like myself I’ll write an email and see what I can do for damage control.”
- “I think that screw up takes the cake — at least it will make a great story.”
You can see how any of these thoughts make sense and could be helpful. And you wouldn’t ever want just one possible response to the thought, “Wow, I’m an idiot.” You and your mind are much more flexible and adroit than a prescribed strategy could ever be; and recognizing you have this power is a giant step towards accessing it!
But don’t take our word for it. The next time you have an unhelpful thought, just keep a quiet watch for what new thing occurs to you.
If you enjoy science and would like to take a deep dive into brain plasticity, this article, Your Brain Makes You a Different Person Every Day, should satisfy.
Artwork: The 2nd Day of Creation by M.C. Escher