“It is remarkable how liberating it feels to be able to see that your thoughts are just thoughts and that they are not “you” or “reality.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
When I find myself caught up in a slew of self-depreciating thoughts, I often find comfort in this quote. It reminds me that thoughts do not represent my worth, my abilities or my future.
Between 50 000 to 70 000 thoughts scroll through our minds each day with the content often depending on our mood. When we’re angry we tend to create thoughts that keep us stuck in that angry state; when we’re worried, we find more things to worry about. When we’re upset our thoughts often pretend to be rational questions such as “What’s wrong with me?” or “Why am I so stupid?” or “Why am I feeling this way?” These questions fool us into thinking that if we repeatedly keep asking, we just might find an answer, and thereby a solution. So we keep asking….and asking…and the answer we find is usually some sort of flaw within ourselves. The real answer to these questions is that thoughts are just thoughts. They are not facts!
The next time you notice yourself in a bad mood or negative mental space, take a moment to notice the thoughts entering your mind. View these thoughts from a distance, not as facts, but as words passing by. Ask yourself: Would I have thought about this differently if I were in a better mood? Does this fit with the facts? Am I jumping to conclusions or making assumptions about what others are thinking?
As we learn to see thoughts just as “occurrences in the mind”, we begin to understand that thoughts just come and go like the scroll on the bottom of a TV screen. This realization takes the sting and weight out of those negative thoughts and helps that scroll, and our overall sense of well being, feel a little more positive.