Last week was a very watery Tuesday Tips, so I am going to flow on from there and let my thoughts run. To start, I would like to thank the many of you who either wrote to me or picked up the phone. It’s lovely to know you are reading this and finding your own inspiration within it.
This week’s tips are inspired by my friend Daksha Patel, Consultant, Trainer and Coach, as well as Director of Your Mind at Work.
If you attended the AestheticSource Pigmentation Symposium at the RCGP last September, you will remember her talk and demonstration. Daksha is one of those people who seems to know why you are thinking something not just what you are thinking. 18 months ago, I was struggling with my reaction to a certain scenario, when I asked her about it her response floored me. I was wrapping layers of past experience around something that was actually not really relevant to me anyway, it was just getting in my way. In her words, I was unconsciously ‘running a programme’. Just becoming self-aware, was enough to make me stop that programme, that thought process. Immediately. Oh, and guess what? The problem just vanished. It wasn’t there. I was clear to move on.
I became fascinated. It began a personal search into how our brains work, a greater understanding of how our thoughts define us, and how empowering it is to become aware of how we think. It sounds like something we naturally do, but actually most of us are so busy doing things that we lose sight (as I did) of who or what is in control of us. My thoughts were running me, I had to stand back, take back conscious control and stop overthinking.
The following is written by Daksha herself, and I thank her for taking the time to support me with my blog:
"When I first heard you have 60,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day of which 90% are the same, I was pretty shocked.
Then I started to pay attention to my thoughts and sure enough, a pattern started to emerge. “I can’t believe I have so much to do’, ‘where has the time gone’, ‘I must tidy up’ and on and on. No wonder my life felt rushed and disorganised.
The chatter in your head is constant. Thought after thought, most of the time they are totally random, often negative and sometimes positive.
When you start to consciously pay attention to your thoughts, it’s amazing what they can reveal about you, your personality and how you experience life on a day to day basis."
Having started to take control of my thoughts, I can confirm it is life-changing. I am way happier, way more productive, my relationships and friendships are better. It took time, work, practice, and there were, and still are, many moments of trial and error, but it has brought me a personal confidence and resilience, just in time for me to be ready to handle what 2020 is challenging us with.
The following quote came in a Facebook post, and I cannot find the original author, but I thank them:
Negative thought: I believed it so deeply it became real.
Positive thought: I believed it so deeply it became real.
Your choice.
It really is 'Your choice'!
Finally, if you’d like to know more, Daksha will be with us for Mental Health Week, hosting one of our May webinars:
The Science of Personal Change and Wellbeing - Finding Your Flow For Success, 19th May at 1 pm. Register here.
I do hope you can come and join us, she is a great speaker and will bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, techniques and ideas for us that are perfect for this time.