Understanding the Power of Our Thoughts and Emotions is Now More Important Than Ever - Why and How?

Just look around us in the world and it is very clear that things seem to be amiss.  How are you responding and reacting to all that is going on in the world?  I talk to people every single day that are confused, broken and hurting.  Everything that we previously thought were "givens" in the world are no longer so.  Everyone wants to get back to “normal” whatever that is or they speak of the “new normal.”  No one really knows what to think or what actions to take.  Why?  And what can we do about it? 

I believe it all has to do with our desire as human beings to control everything outside of us.  Yet, the reality is that we have the ability to control very little and the only thing that seems to be a constant is change.  However, If we can learn to understand and change our thoughts about what all is going on around us, then we take things a little bit lighter and easier and events outside of us are less likely to bring us down.  Because it’s not the actual events that bring us down but rather, it is our thoughts and ultimately our emotions related to them.

Humans have an innate sense of thinking that we control things outside of us.  We don’t.  We try to control the present and the future and we dwell too much on the past.  This causes us much suffering.  Some people believe that God is in control.  But they question everything when bad things happen to good people and want to know how a loving God would allow such bad things to happen.  This hijacks the minds of many people because it is very difficult for humans to wrap their heads around these types of concepts no matter how hard we try.

Anxiety, stress, depression, issues and problems can be a direct result of our thoughts (among some other causes).  These issues are not directly caused by what actually is happening in front of us or in the world  - it all has to do with how we are processing it.  This is why it is so important to understand the power of our thoughts and emotions.  You could be in the middle of the worst personal financial crisis of your life but it only stresses you if you let it.  I get it - this is much easier said than done.  Criticize me if you want and tell me I live in lala land.  If you could choose something better, then you would do so, wouldn’t you?  You can understand and change your thoughts about what happens in your life and learn to control how you react and respond.  You can stop trying to control what is happening around you.  You can live life on life’s terms. 

There is not much else that we have almost complete control over other than our thoughts.  Our family, friends, co-workers and the government cannot truly make us think a certain way.  They can influence our thoughts but do not have control over what we think.  When we recognize this, we harness immense levels of very powerful stuff.  When we allow what happens outside of us to dictate and control our thoughts, we are giving much power away to everyone or everything outside of us.  It is not a quick or easy fix but it is fixable. 

Unfortunately, this concept will be foreign to most people.  Most people allow their thoughts to control them.  Most people are deeply impacted by the things outside of them that they experience but cannot control.  Most of us do not understand that we are not our thoughts.  We can observe our thoughts.  Most humans are powerless over their thoughts.  I am not above that - it still happens to me all the time.  But it used to be that my thoughts ran my world completely but not anymore.  The level of power and freedom that we have when we understand and can control what we do with thoughts and what filters we view thoughts from is truly amazing.   

Let’s say, for example, you don’t have enough money to pay your bills.  Of course, this is something that lots of people are dealing with currently in 2020.  This is reality.  Naturally,  you would experience some thoughts about this.  Below are some examples of thoughts spinning out of control related to finances:  I cannot pay my bills and therefore, I am a failure.  It will always be this way and there is nothing I can do about it.  I am not good enough.  I have tried to do everything right and this is how I am rewarded.  It’s not even worth trying anymore.  Life is not fair and my life sucks.  I can’t ever get ahead.  Everyone around me is doing well financially and I’m not.

It’s all about our thoughts.  It’s all about our mindset.  It’s all about understanding our thoughts and how changing our thoughts will impact our reality.  It is about letting the energy of thoughts flow through us - in and out - rather than trapping them when thoughts come in.  If something happens outside of you and then you form a thought about it and trap that thought inside of you then you will dwell on it and it will rot your soul from the inside out. 

Let’s say you have been working on your thoughts and how to better understand them.  It is very difficult to avoid thoughts altogether - good or bad - but you can choose how you react to those thoughts and you can change the filters through which you experience your thoughts.

Many people on this earth are born, they are conditioned based on parents and surroundings, they go to school, they get a job, they work and then they die.  They were either taught directly or indirectly that work has to suck, that it is hard, bosses and owners are assholes, money doesn’t grow on trees, etc. etc.  We are taught that things are expensive and we have to hoard money and save for retirement blah blah blah.  Somehow we think that this will help our finances and we end up blocking whatever free flowing money might be coming our way.

We have to learn how to better understand our thoughts and how to flip the script on these thoughts above.  We can change our filter and how we react or respond to those thoughts (i.e. our emotions).   Rather than having the negative thoughts above, we can retrain our brain to think differently.  For example:  I am enough.  My worth is not determined by my finances.  I am lovable no matter how much money I make.  All financial issues are temporary.  I can always make more money.  I live a life of abundance.  There is plenty of money and resources to go around.  This too shall pass.  I either win or learn and therefore, I am always rewarded.  My purpose in life is to keep on moving along so I can grow and learn and enjoy the journey.  I am thankful that I have times of limited money coming in because it helps me to really get focused and appreciate all that I have.  My life is so much fun and it has nothing to do with money.  Everything is always working out for me.  All people have financial challenges - many of which I never become aware of.  I am so proud when people around me do well financially and I genuinely want them to do well.

I hear ya - you are probably thinking - “This guy has his head in the sand.  None of this is based on my reality and what I am experiencing right now in my life.”  And that is this point.  Please learn to put your head in the sand - it’s much easier to understand, control and change your thoughts when you are there.  When you focus on your reality and you have all of the negative thoughts above related to any situation that you perceive to be negative, then you will perpetually remain in that same situation. 

Bottom line is this:  You can learn over time to understand your thoughts, control them, change them, adjust your filter and retrain your brain completely.  How do you do this?

1. Slow down.  Don’t live life so fast.  Take time to smell the roses.

2. Be intentional - assign a purpose to everything you do. 

3. Recognize that you are not your thoughts.  Your thoughts are separate from you. 

4. Pay close attention to the thoughts you have related to certain things going on around you.  What is the result of those thoughts - in other words, how do those thoughts make you feel (your emotions)?

5. When something happens outside of you and you have a thought about it, study that thought and what emotion it brings up for you.  Then, choose a better feeling thought.

6. Come up with a list of affirmations that you can memorize and imprint those on your brain - make these your natural reaction rather than a negative thought that you might have had previously.

7. Meditate for 5 to 15 minutes daily.

8. Go easy on yourself.  This is not easy work but it is learned and you will get it over time.

If I can help you in any way, please let me know.  Because this work is so very important, I have opened up 3 additional spots in my coaching schedule to help people who are hurting right now.  I can help.  If you or someone you know are spinning out of control then I want to hear from you.   If that is you, I am here to guide you on your journey.  Reach out today.  Best way to get me is email - Joseph@ChangingYourLifeLLC.com. Also, you can contact us through Live Chat here -  https://j-c-k.us/ChatCYLNow or call us at (800) 618-5580 - leave a voicemail if you don’t get us.