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Two ideas for protecting mental wellness I have been thinking about lately:
1. Don’t believe everything you think.
2. Remember to think everything you believe.
1. Don’t believe everything you think.
2. Remember to think everything you believe.
1. Don’t believe everything you think.
Our occurring thoughts are of mixed value. Some are awesome. Many are unhelpful, inaccurate, or worse.
Yet, we tend to reflexively identify with them, as if sheer fact they are occurring to us means they are significant to us. Not so.
Our occurring thoughts are of mixed value. Some are awesome. Many are unhelpful, inaccurate, or worse.
Yet, we tend to reflexively identify with them, as if sheer fact they are occurring to us means they are significant to us. Not so.
It’s more like seeing things as you take a walk. Just because you observe something, doesn’t mean it’s worth your focus. You ignore a lot of stuff.
We nee to cultivate similar posture to internal world. Need to see thoughts not as constitutive of us, but as things we observe.
We nee to cultivate similar posture to internal world. Need to see thoughts not as constitutive of us, but as things we observe.
Seeing thoughts as non-constitutive things we observe, we pick and choose which ones to attend to.
In a sense, this is obvious. But in the heat of the moment, our reflexes don’t get this (at least not mine).
So its important to intentionally cultivate the posture of distance.
In a sense, this is obvious. But in the heat of the moment, our reflexes don’t get this (at least not mine).
So its important to intentionally cultivate the posture of distance.
2. Remember to think what you believe.
We all have defining beliefs, goals, values that stem from our considered judgment.
Unlike occurring thoughts, these are constitutive of us.
We all have defining beliefs, goals, values that stem from our considered judgment.
Unlike occurring thoughts, these are constitutive of us.
But these considered judgments don’t reflexively present themselves to us with the same ease as the dizzying array of occurring thoughts do.
We need to intentionally remind ourselves of these beliefs/goals/values.
We need to intentionally remind ourselves of these beliefs/goals/values.
It’s like if you have a destination in the external world, you may need to remind yourself of that and follow directions to get there.
If you are too sensitive to what you are seeing along the way, you may forget the goal and the directions.
If you are too sensitive to what you are seeing along the way, you may forget the goal and the directions.
Similarly, to keep occurring thoughts from filling up the frame of your mind & distracting you from your deeper commitments, you need to actively think out those deeper commitments. Can’t just rely on what is occurring to you.
So, in short:
You should keep a distance from your occurring thoughts (“don’t believe everything you think”).
But you should remember to actively think out your considered judgments (“don’t forget to think what you believe”)
You should keep a distance from your occurring thoughts (“don’t believe everything you think”).
But you should remember to actively think out your considered judgments (“don’t forget to think what you believe”)
