17 seconds to better thinking

Alexis Rae Baker

I have found one question to be particularly useful in helping to reign in my thoughts:”

Dear Lexis,

I find that I'm angry or depressed a lot lately but I'm not really sure why that is. I know that there's a lot of good in my life, but that doesn't seem to matter. Any ideas on what I might be missing?

Thanks,

          ~ Grumpy

 Dear Grumpy,

I can relate to your experience, I've notice some wavering in my usual mood as well. And while there have been a few events that could explain mine, in the end I have found that it's my focus that's the real problem. 

When something bad happens, it's so easy to focus on it; we can see the disparity and want to fix it. Unfortunately, focusing on the problem rarely helps. This is primarily because the problems we face tend to require many complex steps, most of which we can't see yet. 

Given these circumstances, I have found one question to be particularly useful in helping to reign in my thoughts: “Is this thought beneficial to me right now?”

Most issues we are facing cannot be dealt with in this moment in time, so learning to ask this question can help us shift our attention back to the present moment, making us more available to deal with whatever pops up.

The way to test whether a thought is benefiting you is with your emotions; is this thought making you feel better or worse. By taking some time to look at your thoughts and ask whether they are benefiting you, you can quickly tell if a thought is making you feel more relaxed or angrier.  

If you find that your current thinking is making you angrier, now is your time to start injecting new thoughts into your head. Often a good place to start is with statements like: “I am where I am and that’s okay”, or “I don’t need to deal with this right now.”

Another way to shift your thinking is to consider the best-case scenario. If you could get your way, how would you like this unpleasant situation to play out. Don’t worry about trying to make the situation fit that model, just figure out what conclusion would bring you joy and ruminate on it.

17 seconds

It doesn’t take long for things to shift but, as you put in the work, you will notice a gradual lightening in mood and an increased capacity for focus. Abraham Hicks says you only 17 seconds of focus to start building thought momentum. Once you get started, your brain starts to take over and will present you with thoughts that closely match the ones you’ve been consciously thinking about.

It’s not always easy to catch yourself in a negative thought pattern though. It does require a high level of consciousness, but if you stay the course your mood will continue to improve until it becomes natural for you to focus on the good rather than the bad. You may still notice dips at times, but with these tools on hand, you will be able to manage them in very little time.

Best of luck,

          ~ Lexis

Lexis is Alexis Rae Baker, who writes from her home in Olympia.  What would you like to ask her to comment about?  Write to her at Lexis@theJOLTnews.com