…a thought.
Don’t get me wrong…I believe in the power of our thoughts and words. I believe that where we put our attention, focus and energy contributes to the kind of life and experiences we have. But sometimes a thought is just a thought.
Do I want to lead my life out of a conscious and aware place? Of course, as this allows me to make choices and design an existence that is in alignment with my core values. Do I want to be responsible for my thoughts, actions and words? Yes, as this contributes to building the way I want to be in the world and how I interact with others. Can I possibly monitor every single thought before it becomes fully formed to avoid ones that involve fear, worry or what ifs? Not if I plan to stay sane.
My coach training taught me to be pretty vigilant about where I am placing my attention and it does become more automatic over time. However, there are moments when self-doubt or concerns show up in the form of a negative thought. It doesn’t mean I am going to manifest it into being. Sometimes it is just a thought. I notice it and I notice the impact it has on my energy level. Then I can choose to embrace it, soak it in and roll around in it. Or, I can use it as an opportunity to notice I’m experiencing a limiting belief or a fear then choose to shift my thinking.
If it is a significant fear about a challenge I am facing, I often get coaching to work through it. Mostly what we fear is the unknown so when we start something new or take a risk, part of us jumps in to spare us the indignity of failure or looking foolish. The coaching process helps me to break down the challenge into manageable steps. Often it just takes some basic research to turn the unknown into the known. Turn a light on and there is no place for darkness. Knowledge and information are often the keys to overcoming destructive thoughts.
So when a negative or catabolic thought creeps in, don’t bypass it out of fear. Ask it to step into the light so you can check to see if it has any weight or substance. If it does, you have the opportunity to use this information to do some work around it. If it is simply a fleeting thing then allow it to go on its way and just let it know that sometimes a thought is just a thought.
