Master Your Thoughts

We're all built with incredible propensity to imagine the worst. Let's say you notice a strange spot on your chest. You being to think "something is wrong." This quickly becomes "it's a STD" or "it's a cancer". In no time at all, you arrive at the idea that you're going to die from this. Well, that settles it then, time to plan the funeral.

You see how we can catastrophize matters? And it's not just in areas such as our well-being; it's our children, our careers, our finances, our partner, or the superior we thought we offended. If we start catching ourselves imagining disastrous scenarios that are not grounded in facts, we'll realize that our thoughts can go askew very easily. And they affect our emotional and mental well-being. Sometimes, they can make us physically sick!

To reduce unnecessary angst, focus on the situation at hand. Nothing more. A spot is just a spot. Until you see a doctor or get more information, further thought is useless and can be dangerous.

The thing is, a thought is just a thought. Some thoughts may be more useful, but that makes them no more real.

The trouble begins when we buy into the thoughts. When we start believing that they have some inherent truth or reality.

A good way out of this trap is to imagine a continuum, a line between two extremes. At one end is the idea that "A Thought Is Reality". At this extreme, people believe that whatever pops into their head is real. IN other words, "if I think it, it is real." The extreme is what we know as psychosis, that is, no matter what others or bare facts tell me, I simply choose to believe my thoughts.

At the other end of the continuum is the idea that "A Thought Is Just A Thought." If a thought begins to torment a person at this end of the spectrum, he or she is able to take a step back, remember that a thought is just a thought, and let it go. If it warrants some follow-up action, go ahead, but until then, don't let your thoughts slip into the gunk of fear and imagination.

Thoughts really only have as much power as we give them. No more, no less.

Become aware of your thoughts. Master your thoughts and you master your world.

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Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd