Step 2 to Changing Your Life – Notice Your Thoughts
The Voice The Never Shuts Up
I’m Back with The Biggest Lesson I Learned from the Road.
I had no idea when my daughter and I set out on our Road Trip, that by setting the intention that this would be my Surrender Experiment Road Trip, that I was going to inundated with my Monkey Mind, The Bully In My Brain, The Voice that Never Shut’s Up. Call it whatever resonates with you, but if you really pay attention, it’s likely you have a voice like this as well.
As Michael Singer says, in The Surrender Experiment,
“It has an opinion about everything.”
Jeez!!!! (This is me!)
The interesting thing is I’ve gotten so clear that this is Step One in changing anything in your life….Noticing your thoughts.
At first, this can be incredibly uncomfortable. Particularly if you’re identifying with your thoughts. In other words, believing what your thoughts are saying to you. If you identify with your thoughts, you’ll find you have a strong reaction to them and that’s a pain in the butt. Big time!!!!
The key is to begin to just notice them and move towards separating from them.
So how do you separate from them. What’s worked for me is to tap on any emotional discomfort I feel around them. As I notice the uncomfortable feelings, I tap through these feelings, by speaking my truth.
It might go something like this:
Wow!!! I feel really anxious and afraid right now.
I’m afraid because _______________. (Ask yourself what you’re afraid of. What’s the worst case scenario?)
I’m afraid that by even having these fearful, anxious thoughts, they’re going to come true and that’s the last thing I want. HELP!!!!
The simplest way to tap when you feel a strong emotion is to talk out loud and tap as if you’re telling a trusted friend what’s going on for you. It’s always helpful to tap on the “feeling.”
What am I feeling? Name that emotion and tap on that.
- I’m feeling afraid that I’m never going to make true lasting changes in my life.
- I’m afraid I’ll be stuck in this job forever.
- I’m afraid my boss has it out for me.
- I’m afraid my relationship will never get easier.
- I’m afraid I’ll be stuck in the grind of life for the rest of my life.
Whatever your truth is… tap on that until you feel relief.
You’ll notice as you feel relief… you’ll think those same anxious, fearful thoughts, but they don’t have as strong of a grip on you.
That’s success.
That’s what you’re looking for is movement in the feeling.
You’ll notice you’re moving away from the strength of the emotion. It might still be there, but it’s not AS anxious or fearful. That’s absolutely progress.
You’re looking for progress… not perfection.
Eventually, you’ll notice the feelings seem really distant to you.
So with anything and everything you want to change, start with Step One:
Notice your thoughts and tap on the ones that feel uncomfortable, the ones that carry an emotional charge.
If this resonates with you….make this your intention for this week, to notice your thoughts and tap when you want to reduce the emotional charge and most important… notice any judgement you have around your thoughts. This is the best place to begin.
I’ll move you into Step Two in the next newsletter video.
Marti