Research has shown that 90 % of our thoughts are not only repetitive but also not supportive of a positive and healthy life. Often, we are getting stuck in negative thought loops of which it is only hard to get out again at times!
Many of those thoughts and beliefs, which are circulating continuously in our minds, form at a very young age. Possibly back then they had some bearing to the mind of a growing child, but by adulthood, we have outgrown most of those thoughts and beliefs. We tend to hold on to them because we have never learned how to let go of them.
Meditation and practicing mindfulness are valuable tools, which can help us to escape from this distraction and find greater peace and purpose in our lives! In this article, we’ll show you how the practice of mindfulness can help you too!
As mentioned above, thought patterns are complex. For the majority of our thoughts, we are unable to name their roots. They are somehow “always” there. And yet, every thought was formed out of an experience with an accompanying emotion. What might have been terrifying to a young child is less scary for an adult; however, you still carry those frightening thoughts with you. It is not only the mental energy you are wasting on those thought loops. Those kinds of thoughts have the habit of keeping you from what you want to do with your life. Part of your mind is still stuck in the situation you experienced as a child.
It’s important to note that while mindfulness is an essential tool to implement, it is not a magic switch to turn off all the bad and turn on all the good. Some experiences can be so traumatic, that only a skilled therapist will be able helping you to resolve the trauma.
How can mindfulness help you to disconnect from your outdated mind bubble?
Mindfulness refers to a practice of observing one’s mind. This practice releases you from thinking and agonizing about past and future and brings you right back into the present. Only in the state of being in the present will you be able to assess your situation with an open mind.
Thoughts are not just things that float around in our heads, making us feel depressed, happy, or anything else in between. Thoughts come from powerful electrical impulses, also known as neurotransmitters. They are like an old dirt road. The more you use the same thought pattern, the more ingrained it becomes– we like to call it the neuro highway. After repeating those thoughts for years, your thinking starts to default to the same pattern, whenever you touch on a similar emotion from where the pattern originated. Mindfulness and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy are powerful alternatives to traditional CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). They can help you to modify what is no longer useful to your thinking.
To change the habitual thought bubble, you need awareness.
In this, mindfulness is the tool that lets you look at yourself and re-evaluate which of your thoughts are still relevant and which are not.
Therefore, the next time you observe yourself mindlessly indulging in habitual unhealthy thoughts, you have the power to stop. You can then reassess and redirect your thoughts to something which is in accordance with the reality of your situation, commonly known as ontology.
There is a reason why it is called “the road less traveled.”
The process of letting go of your old habitual thought pattern is not easy. However, with patience and time, it can be done. From the vantage point of ontology, you can observe how your mental and emotional state continually influences each other. Emotions trigger thoughts, and thoughts trigger emotions. The study of your own mental and emotional processes will help you to replace old habits and eliminate those profoundly ingrained thought patterns.
With practice, you will start to see that some thoughts are not a real representation of your situation. They might feel real, but they are only an event in your mind. One thought comes and shortly after is pushed aside by the next.
Mindfulness claims back your mental power and will help you to grow into your own being — the person you were meant to be.