This week there has been a lot on my mind. Well... a lot more than usual. It seems as if I'm always caught up in my own head. Thinking of the past, worrying about the future, and trying desperately to make sure my present is the best it can be. Whether it's worrying about school, worrying about my decisions, or worrying about whether that social interaction was too weird, it is so easy for me to get caught up in the never-ending cycle of my own thoughts.
It seems as if I am always either worrying or giving myself a hard time without even realizing it. I know that these spiraling thoughts of worry aren't unique to just me. It seems as if all of us get in our heads way too much. Obviously, we all have our own ways of dealing with controlling our thoughts and making ourselves feel better. The one way that I have been able to improve my well-being and become more self-aware is learning how to control my thoughts.
I know, this sounds odd, but I promise it is so helpful for every situation. A lot of times I catch myself on auto-drive. And I feel that a lot of us do this without even realizing it. Going through the motions of every day, and not really being present in your thoughts or actions. For our minds, this happens when we normalize thoughts we have every day that are actually destructive to our well-being.
When I first started therapy, it amazed me how many of the thoughts I was telling myself every day were actually making my well-being worse. Being aware of what you are telling yourself and how it impacts you will ground your thinking, and help you become aware of what makes your mind start going in circles.
Some of the things that seemed so normal that I was telling myself every day was making me feel worse about myself. Whether it is giving myself a hard time for taking a break, comparing myself to everyone and everything around me, or criticizing my every action, I found that when I took the time to figure out the thoughts I was thinking every day, I was doing it without even realizing.
It is quite thought-provoking to think about your thoughts. Once you realize the thoughts you are having and determining whether they have a positive or negative connotation, you are making it easier on yourself in your everyday life. Take the time to think about whether what you're telling yourself is helpful or not.
