Karen Restivo
In Other Words....
The metaphor “Train of Thoughts” is an accurate reflection of how our thoughts follow each other like train cars headed down the track to its destination; in this case, delivering our beliefs and stories to others, but more importantly, to ourselves.
Negative mental content being transported in our head (intrusive thoughts) can send us on a precariously dangerous path that was never a planned destination.
Author Kristi Nelson in her article “Training our Trains of Thought” assists in signaling your train of thoughts has run off the tracks:
*Something difficult or disappointing happens, or we hear some “bad” news. This is the “engine.” Negative thoughts and/or feelings begin attaching themselves to responding to this event, like cars on a train.
*After a period of repetitive indulgence, the negative thoughts and beliefs begin building a story and making a case to prove themselves true and the engine starts chugging down the tracks.
*Like a big magnet, the original negative thought starts seeking and amassing all forms of reinforcing experiences, data, and external validation - picking up more train cars along the way.
*Then, unconsciously, we can begin to act in ways that corroborate and buttress our negative beliefs, creating additional reasons and reinforcing experiences to justify a dour outlook.
*Finally, with way too many moments slipped by, we can find ourselves with a big, brooding, bummed-out, self-righteous worldview with which to contend.
Station Stop.
The Blues, Next Stop: The Dumps.
*And we wonder, “How did I get here?”
The key here is learning to flip the script.
It’s all about thought patterns.
If you find yourself in a negative mindset, the neuropathways have already been laid; it’s simply a matter of flipping the script to a positive and grateful mindset.
Your thoughts are not you; they are merely passing through unless we allow them to be permanent passengers along for a free ride.
Nelson notes, “The essential insight - that thoughts and feelings come and go, and that we may have thoughts, but they do not have us - can spark a small revolution in anyone open to the teaching.
Mindfulness helps us to stop in our tracks and take a breath.
It wakes us up out of sleepwalking or escalating our way through life and develops and deepens our capacity for awareness in the moment.”
Over the course of a day, notice when you’ve unconsciously allowed yourself to switch on autopilot instead of continuing in real time awareness.
Nelson says, “Grateful living can help to re-train the neural pathways that looked for something wrong to now look for things that are going well, or at least to identify opportunities available to us.”
In other words, ultimately, it’s our responsibility to decide which train of thoughts are permitted to ride along with us on this adventure we call life.
When you discover any unwanted, negative passengers, usher them off at the next stop.
Karenrestivo57@gmailcom