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018: Different Waves in Everyday Life --- Thoughts, Emotions, and Disconnecting

Like so many old adages say, and like you've probably noticed in your daily life, thoughts and emotions come and go like waves. What goes up must come down. They come up in you and leave like waves in an ocean, or even more like how light waves travel (up and down and up and down). To me, it's been increasingly important to stay aware of my thoughts and emotions because of the benefits associated with not letting them control you. While practicing basic self awareness, I've learned thoughts and emotions come from a number of different factors, build up through the unconscious, and then come into your conscious awareness. Sometimes they can linger in your unconscious and you can feel them without even knowing what they are. But alas, clear skies are ahead.

"All that goes up must come down."

"All things must pass."

"Easy come, easy go."

 

Notice where thoughts and emotions come from

Take notice first where your thoughts and emotions are inside of you. Think about where they came from instead of just interacting with a train of thought, for example. Think, "why did that make me happy?" or "what made me think of this?". Once you notice what factors (outside or inside) are triggering different thoughts and emotions inside of you you can make leaps and bounds. Disconnecting yourself from the process of only engaging with certain thoughts is important because you can see their build-up instead of just when they smack you in the face. Believe me, just "watching" your thoughts sounds crazy. Yes. Engaging with your thoughts/emotions is not a bad thing either. But practicing this skill let's you learn to let go of certain things, and that's the goal.

Practice watching things pass by

Eckhart Tolle calls this being the "watcher of the mind". After noticing your thoughts in your mind, and the process of where they come from, I recommend practicing watching thoughts arise and then slowly fade. This takes more patience and willpower for emotions but still can be done. I love this process because when you can apply it to real-life situations you can CHOOSE what to think about and feel (to an extent of course). Try this slowly, try it casually, don't put yourself down if you can't grasp it at first. The more you are aware of your thoughts and emotions, the more you can teach yourself what to do with them.

Love the wave of everyday thoughts and feelings

Sometimes the most calming thing to do is embrace the "chaos". Everything will come and everything will go. Trying to hold onto something or push something away never really works. Welcome good thoughts and joyful emotions into your head space. Notice when defeating or negative ones are camping out there. Never rent out your head space to uninviting thoughts. Thoughts and emotions come from you but they are not you. You choose (consciously or unconsciously) what to believe in. Understand where these ideas come from, practice watching them come and go like waves, and then love the whole process. I also highly recommend practices like meditation. Life will always be changing. Happiness will always return to you (but so will discontent). The key is to be aware and be the decision maker.

Please comment and share your thoughts! Tag a friend who would benefit hearing this. Email me your thoughts. I am open ears and open for conversation. And again, thank you for reading.

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