I met with a friend for lunch today and she told me she is too stressed to spend the time to learn how to manage it. I don’t think she is alone in thinking that. As a matter-of-fact, I was in her shoes most of my professional life. We tend to normalize suffering—we tell ourselves, “This is temporary, I know it will get better.” Or…”I can handle this; I’ve done it countless times before.” Or..there’s really nothing I can do about it—it is what it is.” Are these thoughts familiar to you? These thoughts normalize suffering. They are often so insidious that we don’t notice what is happening. Suffering is not normal. There are ways to stop it, but first, you have to notice what you are thinking. You need to catch the thought and ask yourself, “is this true?” “Is it true that I am a victim of my situation…of my thoughts?” Then ask yourself, “Am I okay with thinking this way or is there another way to think?” The acclaimed author and speaker in the area of personal development, Wayne Dyer, stated, “Change the way you look at things…and the things you look at, change.” Our minds tend to be Velcro for the negative and Teflon for the positive primarily because of how we grew up. When you are feeling that you can’t change what’s happening, you can change how you are thinking about it or take action. The first and most important step is to Pay Attention to Your Thoughts:
- Pay attention to the thoughts in your head
- Pay particular attention to any repetitive thoughts
- Listen without judging them
- How do those thoughts make you feel? Be honest, here.
- If you want to feel better, focus your attention differently or do something that changes your thoughts, such as:
- Look at a picture that inspires you
- Review a cartoon that stimulates you
- Pet your favorite animal
- Take a walk
- Get a cup of coffee or whatever your favorite beverage is
Start practicing this and see what a difference you can make in your life.
#waynedyer#suffering#thichknathahn
