I made a goal to write a blog at least monthly this year so here is January’s (although it is February when I am getting it posted. Over the past several weeks I have been thinking about thoughts, perceptions, and emotions.
We are usually unaware of all the thoughts that run through our minds throughout the day. Our thoughts wander here and there or for some dart here and there, but do we realize our thoughts eventually become our actions. The more we think the same thoughts over and over the more conscious they become and the more likely we are to act on them, sometimes without meaning to. Thoughts can keep us stuck in old patterns or bring us to change. It depends on how conscious we are of what we are choosing to think about. Are we allowing ourselves to dwell on negative or positive thoughts? Are we rehashing old mistakes, thinking about a conversation that didn’t go so well, or allowing negative self-talk to rule our mind? Or are we thinking about how grateful we are for the good things in our life, recognizing the good we have done that day, or being hopeful for the future? We get to choose each moment whether we are allowing positive or negative thoughts on the stage of our mind.
Perception is how we see life, or the lens we see through. In essence, how we see ourselves, others and situations. It is shaped by our emotions and past experiences. Our limited perceptions keep us in boxes of what we perceive as right or wrong. This causes us to come to quick judgements, closes us off from different ways of looking at things, or prevents us from seeing another’s perspective. These perceptions cause bias’s that keep us stuck in old behaviors and patterns that limit us from seeing new opportunities.
Emotions put energy behind the thoughts and often compel us to action. Emotions can be either positive or negative. Do I allow my negative thoughts and the accompanying anger to cause me to yell at someone, or do I take a few moments and take some deep breaths and diffuse the emotion and be open to seeing things from a different perspective? When we are aware of our thoughts and make conscious choices of how we feel, we can change our life. Staying on top of which emotions we are feeding is key! Awareness is essential! More on staying on top of our emotions in my next blog.
So some food for thought…what are you choosing to think and feel and see?