Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastering Your Thoughts, Part V
This is Part V of an eight part blog which began on April 14.
So, you can begin to practice this technique with simple things: for example, let’s say you drop something and get annoyed at yourself and then have a strong self critical thought. Instead of getting all upset with yourself, step back and note that you are having a self-critical thought, such as, “I am a jerk,” and distance your self from the self-criticism. Simply note or count the thought and laugh at it.
So, you begin with the smallest or easiest of thoughts and just simply give the thought a number; you count it and you step back from it. You give it a number; no matter where you are with it, no matter how intense you are about it.
Be assured that you are not the first person in the world who has gotten caught up in his/her thoughts, but you now have a way to step back from it all, to dis-identify from it, to not take it personally or seriously.
You would be amazed at the number of self-critical thoughts you have in a day. Just try counting them for one day or for just even one-hour or for even fifteen minutes; you would be astounded!
What you will learn from practicing this technique is how to master your mind. We were never given an “owner’s manual” for our minds. Now we can create one for ourselves. You are meant to make friends with your mind. As Dr. Charles Tart wrote; “We don’t know how our minds operate and hence we don’t operate them very well.”
This is Part V of an eight part blog.