You Are NOT Your Thoughts

You have a lot of thoughts in your head.

Some of them feel good. Some of them feel bad. But you sure do know you have various thoughts in your head all along the day. And even more of them at night.

All of this gets even more confusing when you reach the point where you DON’T WANT to think those thoughts – you don’t want to feel those emotions, and yet you do.

But why?

But how?

This happens because You are NOT your thoughts.

For example:

When I was around 8 years old. I went to my cousin’s place in Chennai for a few days. My aunt asked me to participate in a drawing competition. I said, no I don’t know how to draw. However, I actually knew how to. But this statement came from an underlying thought – that I do not know how to draw well enough to participate and have chances of winning in the competition.

My aunt happened to speak to my mom and casually mentioned about the competition and how I mentioned about not knowing how to draw. My mom instantly replied “No no, what are you saying? She knows how to draw. She has even attended classes.”

On finding that out, my aunt pushed me to participate in that competition.

What I am about to say next, may sound clichéd to you. But it is true.

As you would have guessed it by now, I won the competition. I won either the 1st or 2nd place in the competition, I don’t exactly remember.

So, what happened in this situation was that I had the capability in me to actually draw. However, my thoughts, based on my own experience and perspective, implied something else.

This means that what I think and who I actually am in reality can be way different from each other.

And this is what is true.

Now that you have understood that you and your thoughts are different, you will find it much easier to find the discipline to change any negative thought which is pulling you down.

But, I know – you may ask me. Yes, this was a mind-blowing revelation but what more can I do with this information?

You can take a decision to not get emotional about your emotions. This means that the next time you feel sad, or low – do not give in to those emotions. Because whatever you are thinking is not necessarily you. You will feel tempted to just let yourself wallow in self-pity.