New ways to improve inner thoughts

People are unaware how much attention is given to unimportant events in their lives — awareness is pivotal in most instances. When I am engaged in menial tasks, my thoughts often wander aimlessly.

You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

As the pilot of my mind, it is my job to reel in my thoughts so they don’t overpower me.

The conscious mind can be considered both a wild stallion and a chimpanzee, wild and erratic at times. The mind thrives on being in a state of flux. It recalls the past and predicts the future with ease, yet it has a disdain for being in the present moment.

You will notice it is challenging to stay in the present moment without your thoughts taking somewhere else. You don’t know what the future holds, although your mind draws conclusions based on historical information.

The mind is a storehouse of data.

We rarely engage in conscious thinking, rather we draw on our storehouse of information. From age two to six, you are in a subconscious learning state. Most of your thoughts and beliefs are formed during this impressionable age.

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
Buddha

You don’t see the world as it is, you see it as you are said the American essayist Anaïs Nin. Subjective reality is the term that describes this state of being. It is subject to the experiencer viewing the world through his or her lens. These lenses are filters in which you create your present and future experiences.

Being mindful of your thoughts means not engaging with them to gain validation. For example if you have a thought, “Karen is stupid, why does she repeat this behaviour?” your mind searches its mental record to substantiate the thought. If you have an earlier experience of this, your mind will draw on it and associate it with the present moment to confirm your thought.

To avoid this, use a neutral thought, “Isn’t that interesting.” This is observational in nature and does not require the mind to look for answers. The premise of this suggestion is to ask your mind empowering questions rather than frame it in the negative.

via Medium