You cannot stop the endless stream of stressful thinking in your mind. You can try, but the more you wrestle with your thoughts, the more powerful they become. What you can do is question your thoughts. Most of the time, the stressful thoughts you think are not true. And the moment you debunk a fearful thought, it loses its power over you. This is when miracles happen, because your perspective on life can instantly change.
Here is an exercise you can try to practice questioning your thoughts:
1st: Write down a brainstorm of the persistent stressful thoughts you have noticed in your mind.
2nd: Choose one thought that is standing out for you today.
3rd: Write down that thought on a separate sheet of paper, and ask yourself the following questions:
☁️ When I think this thought, how do I feel?
☁️ Years ago, where might I have learned this thought? For example, during my childhood, adults, peers, or images from popular culture might have taught it to me. And where do I think THEY learned this thought? Feel free to continue this question along the chain to way back in time when this belief may have been formed.
☁️ Can I absolutely, with 100% conviction, say that this thought is true?
☁️ What might be an alternative thought to this one, that could be just as true, if not more true?
☁️ When I think this new thought, how does it make me feel?
Working with your thoughts is only effective if you are also taking the time to feel and honour your emotions. If you ignore your emotions, then they get bottled up inside of you, like a volcano about to blow. Unreleased emotional pressure inside of your body, makes it impossible to question your thoughts. First, ensure you are nurturing your feelings, like a mother soothes her crying child. Then you can work with your thoughts.
If you'd like to know more about finding relief from stressful thinking, please check out my book, The Girl and The Sun, and more from my blog at this website: www.ashleyandthesun.com
I also highly recommend reading books and watching online videos from Byron Katie, Sheryl Paul, Eckhart Tolle, Michael Singer, and Tara Brach.
The sun, cloud, and rainbow metaphors that make up the story in my children’s book The Girl and the Sun were molded piece by piece from my own pain and subsequent drive to overcome it. I use these metaphors every day to parent myself and my children. They are not my own ideas. They come from many teachers along the way: Anita Johnston, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Jeff Foster, Tara Brach, Marianne Williamson, and many counselors and colleagues who guided me along my journey. Through The Girl and The Sun I can now share them with the world. Please visit www.ashleyandthesun.com/free-handouts-parents-and-teachers for free handouts and www.ashleyandthesun.com for a thorough explanation of the sun, cloud and rainbow metaphors.