The mind is complex. It has far reaching abilities to think, plan, organize, create, discern, metalize, understand, analyze and hold great complexity. Our mind generates stories that can protect us by registering threats and danger by categorizing and developing schemas or scripts to simplify the complex world around us. Our minds also give us richness and meaning through narrative. All of this occurs in the form of verbal mental talk and imagery.
We tend to generate stories centered around ourselves as our mind awakens and we move throughout our day. We sometimes become the heroes or villains of our own movies. Our stories can be vivid and seem very real. Yet, they can also set up problematic should’s and must’s or become limiting to our creativity.
Our stories can even become re-runs of past stories of hurt or discouragement, impacting our current outlook and mood. They can take us into emotional reactivity and cause us to unintentionally impact those around us. Knowing this, we can take a step back and observe our mind and the stories we tell ourselves.
Drop in for a visit to your inner landscape:
Observe your mind.
Recognize your thoughts.
What are your stories?
How aware are you of the stories you are telling yourself?
What is the attitude of your mind right now?
Learn your patterns and styles of thought.
Learn to recognize the common themes based on your unique personal history.
Pause your stories and observe yourself as you move through the world.
Our minds do what they do. All of this is completely normal. However, attachment and overinvolvement in our stories can be problematic. Remind yourself that you are not your stories. Your thoughts are not your world. Remind yourself that your thoughts are not permanent and that we have the power to recognize and change our stories.
When we become more mindful of our stories we can let go and rest in greater awareness, appreciating our stories as stories and connecting more deeply with the moments of joy that surround us when we live in the present.
Dr. Thomas Lindquist, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Visit us at lindquistpsych.com
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