You Are What You Think

I recently bought a new notebook. On the front are the words, ’Don’t believe everything you think’. These words made me think about the power my thoughts have on my life.

The negative self chatter can limit what I can achieve. On the other hand positive thoughts help me achieve goals and get the best out of each day. One does need to consider risks and weigh up the pros and cons before making a decision but it is important to keep things in perspective and not be overwhelmed by self doubt or limiting beliefs.

What are some of the things you think about yourself which you shouldn’t believe? They could include negative generalisations such as, ‘I never finish anything I start,’ or ‘I am hopeless.’ There could be a list of beliefs starting with the words, ’I can’t’. When you are thinking things like this you are stopping yourself from having a try or taking steps to learn something new.

Sometimes we need to question what we think. We may need to ask ourselves why we believe a particular thing. Is it because someone else said it? If so, does that mean it is correct? Is it something we think because we lack confidence? Could it be we don’t have enough facts on which to base our ideas?

Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses can be helpful when making decisions. However, this is subjective. You may see something as a weakness but if you look at it a different way it could be seen as a strength.

You may judge yourself too harshly. Perhaps you perform just as well as the next person at a particular task. It may be you only think you aren’t good enough.

If you think you aren’t capable of doing something you will find it difficult to do because you block yourself with negative thoughts. While you are thinking, ’I can’t do this. I will fail,’ and perhaps picturing yourself messing up, you aren’t giving yourself the opportunity to develop your skills.

Positive thoughts help you do the best you are capable of. Dr Bernie Siegel, writer and pioneer in mind-body healing claims, ‘If you repeat an affirmation over and over again, it becomes embedded in your subconscious mind and eventually becomes your reality.’ It has been found the brain can’t tell the difference between what you think and what is real.

Swami Vivekananda (19th century Indian Hindu monk) said, ‘We are what our thoughts have made us: so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live: they travel far.’


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