Everybody on the planet is subject to unwanted thoughts – No one is exempt. Understanding assaultive thoughts and how to deal with them is the key to living happy life. Unwanted thoughts and images distract us and lead us away from what we are purposed to do. Such thoughts, also create barriers in all our relationships.
In this post, I want to share with you that When the thought enters your mind in the form of a suggestion urging you to do something negative in nature, you can either submit to that thought turning it into action, or you can ignore it. I have also created a YouTube video on this very subject, so check that out for more detail.
This is not the whole story but a snippet from my new book about Holistic Living, which features Mindfulness and issues around mental health. I am in the process of writing it. It will be published and made available to you later in the year – so keep a lookout for that! If you struggle to make self-care a priority or do not know how to start your mindfulness journey, check out my course, which will be available in the Summer of 2021- subscribe free to this blog to get updates on this! Regardless of where you are on your journey, I hope you will find something useful here- if so, please let me know down in the comments.
Thoughts are Things.
Thoughts are things. They are as real as our actions are. Our thoughts create us to be who we are. Thoughts are like building blocks one piled on top of another creating and provoking actions, delivering results.
Because thoughts are things, we can choose whether we interact with them or not. Thoughts are not floating around in our head independently of our free will, on the contrary, our thoughts are under the command of our free will. Once we realise this, the thoughts and the distractions that assault us are much easier to control. But while we believe that our assaultive thoughts are almost disembodied things, and we cannot help thinking about what we do, we will never be able to be free or positively organise our thoughts.
To Interact- or Not
We must realise what thoughts are. We must realise that we can control them, indeed they are under our complete control. So, when a thought comes to you that is negative or destructive- don’t interact with it. That means that avoid rumination by thinking the thought – over and repeatedly as if it has some merit that must be considered. Assaultive negative and destructive thoughts have no merit at all, they will only bring you misery and uncertainty. So, the least interaction you make with those negative and destructive thoughts – the better.
By interacting with those thoughts, we are saying yes to those thoughts. We are giving consent to them to bombard us from the right, left and centre. By giving consent we are submitting our free will to those negative and destructive thoughts (now that’s a horrible thought!)
However, If we refuse to interact with those thoughts we are freeing ourselves from the power. Those thoughts are defeated, and we have the victory!
However, if we entertain the thoughts and interact with them, it is us who becomes defeated, and it is the thoughts that have the victory over us!
Sometimes we can feel that we are held hostage to our thoughts. At these times we feel that our mental wellbeing is under threat. At these times, we need evasive action to be able to quell those thoughts and take them under our control. The Bible calls it taking every thought captive. Once we do that, we are saying to our thoughts…
‘I am the boss you are not- I am control of my person you are not’!
Of course, this takes time depending on how ingrained the habit of interacting with negative thoughts is. Be patient, take courage, and persevere, it will take time to learn your new habit of ignoring the negative destructive thoughts and replacing them with positive healing ones.
Obsession, Passion, Action.
If we do not lay hold of these negative destructive thoughts at the interaction stage, then there is the danger that our thoughts will turn into an obsession, passion, and eventual action.
Everybody on the planet is subject to bad thoughts – No one is exempt. Grabbing these thoughts before the interaction stage will help to ease the process of creating new and wonderful thought patterns. However, if we allow our thoughts to turn into actions they manipulate our lives to the point where we refuse to get rid of them. We say things like,
“I can’t help it “, or “this is just who I am “.
I’m sure that you can come up with many other little sayings that you have been guilty of in the past and I certainly have been. The problem is that by just accepting these thoughts they turn into negative and destructive habits. Not only does that affect our lives negatively but also those around us.
Sometimes we entertain such thoughts because they become a source of strength and of power to us somehow. What we don’t realise, however, is that it’s not true strength, but a false sense of being in control. True strength gives rise to courage and true power leads to love. Anything opposite to that is something far more sinister.
The Daily Mindfulness Habit
Mindfulness is a wonderful way to conquer unwanted thoughts, particularly in the first stages when you feel overwhelmed with the negative assault of thoughts.
In previous blogs, I have outlined different ways of becoming mindful in our everyday life so keep visiting back here because I will be posting more about how that can be achieved in various ways.
Creating a good habit of mindfulness will help you to harness your thoughts and become a happier you.
It is helpful to Nip the thoughts in the bud before they do any damage. Mindfulness enables you to become self-aware, and that awareness is the underlying truth about yourself and who you are. Jesus says- you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. The truth only sets you free if you are willing to accept it and do something with it and only then it leads to your freedom. Becoming self-aware through daily mindfulness practices leads you to freedom little bit by little bit. Your mind will be set free, thus your lives free to be what we are meant to be and what we are supposed to do in this life.
Thoughts are things so pay those negative and destructive things no mind!
Thank you for visiting me here,
I hope this post was helpful. If it was, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me and share any thoughts you have. And if you enjoyed reading this blog, please support it by subscribing
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Love & Grace
Paula Rose Parish IHS
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I have worked internationally with over 40 years of experience, having a Bachelor of Pastoral Counselling and Theology and a Master of Arts in Counselling & Professional Development. BACP Life Coaching Certificate. I currently work as a Christian educator, blogger, author, and grandmother living with my two dogs in Wales, UK.
If you wish to connect with me, please do so at paularoseparish@gmail.com
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?Psalm 23 Unwrapped: Hope in Difficult Times.
