What’s Your First Thought?

The human mind is as complex as primitive. We can think something into bits and pieces and talk ourselves into desperation and rage. The same thing happens the other way around. Maybe that goes into the debate of being an optimist or a pessimist. However, the first thought says more about yourself than how you see yourself. What you notice is not a thought but the emotion caused by a thought. We have a comprehensive computer installed that saves each and every piece of information in its data storage. The more unconscious the information slips into the system, the more likely it is put somewhere that fits similar information.Your thoughts cause how you feel about those happenings, created from former experiences. So, if you want to change your experiences and reflexive emotions, you need to change the way you think.

When I began to change my inner construct, I did by observing myself in any situation. I watched everything in the situation, the persons involved, their actions, and my reflexive emotions. Sometimes if I only heard the name of a person, my stomach already cramped. I felt like a prisoner in myself, and I wanted to get rid of emotions that kept me from being who I wanted to be or turned into someone I did not want to be. So, I observed myself for a few days. Then I picked two to three issues I wanted to solve first.

The next step was to keep observing myself when a similar situation appeared. I paused for a moment before I reacted. Then I checked on the responsible thought and simply exchanged it for one that made me feel how I wanted. An example from my life: Wednesday afternoon, the kids were off from school, and at times all three had different activities spread all over the afternoon. Sometimes the times even overlapped from dropping one to picking up another one. Already in the morning, I began to feel stressed because of a hectic afternoon. Driving around all afternoon was lost time for me. I got very impatient and aggressive and put my stress on my kids. So, when I felt that stress coming up, I stepped back and simply thought: “Dedicate this afternoon to your children’s activities with which they have fun. All is well planned, and you only need to take one step at a time.” In making myself aware that I did it for them to make them enjoy their afternoon, my attitude changed. I did not see myself being the center of the happening anymore. It needed a lot of discipline and effort to strictly observe and reprogram my thought system. And you know what? After only two weeks, the reflexive negative and stress-causing thoughts got eliminated. All of them knew in advance that I could be late which removed more pressure. I relaxed and even began to enjoy it myself, took a book along to read when I had to wait, and played music in the car we all enjoyed. I knew that all I had to do was drive. A weekly black spot for all of us turned into a fun time – only because I changed a thought.

Do I have eliminated all the negative emotions in my life? As you can imagine: Not at all! But those that do bother me are instantly under supervision. Meanwhile, it is easier to reprogram my system… out of my experience.

Recall:
An event causes a thought
A thought creates an emotion
An emotion creates a reaction
Your reaction causes your experience
Your experience of an event becomes part of your thought pattern

Your emotions are your compass and reveal how you really think. Sometimes we only take ourselves too serious (remember rule number 9?). Some believe the world revolves around themselves and everything they do. Often only observing ourselves already helps to see how we really are. Maybe this humble affirmation helps too:

I am the messenger, not the message.

In Love and Light

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The purpose of my blog is to inspire and shine a light on the beauty and power of the wonderful being inside your body. You came into this world to share what only you can give. Remember who you really are, conquer the world the way you always wanted to, and become the blessing to us all that you were meant to be.

33 Comments

Haha, I should have been a postman Erika 🤣 But very well said dear lady, we are our thoughts and they most certainly can be changed from a ‘reaction’ to one of ‘creation’ as you did. It may be a long school down here but it will gift us with something amazing at its end on award night 🤣😂❤️🙏🏽🦋🎅🏽🦌🕊🎄🎁⛄️

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I think it is one of the most breathtaking realizations that we are able to choose our thougts and through that control how we feel and experience life. This is so amazing because we can choose how we feel. Still, I have to remind myself how far I have come with that. Thank you, Mark, and may the force of thoughts be with you 💖

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Indeed dear lady, we do have great power in our hearts. And thankfully our journey gives us a huge appreciation of it. May the force (love), be with you too…..weird, I can hear Star Wars music from somewhere 🤣😂

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Very well presented Erika. It is a shame that such perspectives are not taught in school (a Psych. Primer perhaps) because such views are invaluable in adulthood.

The stress that you felt (in your example) could have so easily developed into resentment, which your kids could have interpreted as their own unworthiness, and generated low self-esteem. Low self-esteem can so easily degenerate into chemical dependence (drugs) which, in turn, can lead to internal/external shows of violence.

It is so easy for ourselves, and for those we love, to go down that “slippery road” of anti-social behavior simply because of some thoughtless and self-focused expressions. Again … well presented Erika. An invaluable message.

May I wish you, and all your Followers, a wonderful time over the Christmas/New Year holiday period and, finally, let us all show compassion towards those less fortunate than us, and understanding and acceptance of those different from us. Keep smiling because where there is life, there is hope! 🙂

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Colin, you touched the core. The love for my children made me work on myself since I saw what impact that had or could have had. The least I wanted for them was to experience the same as I did, resulting in very low self-esteem. I realized what was happening. My kids have been my cure.

Thank you very much for sharing these important thoughts, Colin, and I couldn’t agree more: This should be taught in school!

Thank you too for your heartfelt wishes. May their vibes reach far. For sure, they reached my heart. I wish you, all of your loved ones, and last but not least, Ray, a beautiful Christmas time and peace, love, and joy for 2023💖

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Absolutely, the experience you make once you are aware of the impact your thoughts have and that you have the choice what to think, is already life changing. That way we can work magic!

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Our first thoughts really do make a difference and if we can be mindful of them then our reaction can be in as positive direction as possible. You’re on the money, we have to change the way we think and observe situations.

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It already helps when we observe our first thoughts. It’s the beginning of a dramatic change when we become aware of what we think and the effect it has on our lives. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

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It is amazing how it works wonders. And the realization that we are not at the mercy of our thoughts and feelings is incredibly strengthening and like a little breakthrough of our own potential.

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The biggest step in changing our thinking from negative to positive is recognizing the thoughts as they come and rerouting them on a conscious level. When we do that enough, they automatically get rerouted without so much effort. It’s a process. Congratulations to you, my dear friend, on your constant effort toward self-realization! Hugs and Merry Christmas!

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We can make it happen. It is the same principle to create negative thoughts as it is to create positive ones. We just don’t “think” of that option that we have in our own hands what we want to think and not be driven by feelings that only work against us.
Thank you very much for reading, dear Jan, have a wonderful Advent week 💖

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