The Life-Changing Power Of Managing Our Thoughts

Life is full of a wide variety of experiences. Some are incredibly joyful, others life-alteringly painful and everything in between. Often experiences can be unexpected or even unwanted and we can feel powerless to the pain and emotion we feel. But the truth is our emotional experience is not a results of the circumstance or experience, it is a results of our thoughts about the circumstance or experience. This is good news. This in empowering news. The reality is: 

Our THOUGHTS create our EMOTIONS which dictate our ACTIONS which create our RESULTS. 

For example, let's consider a rainy day. This may or may not elicit any emotion for you. Or you may feel anxiety, discouragement or even joy! Why? How? Well, what if you have a wedding planned and it’s raining? Or maybe you had a past event negatively impacted by rain. Maybe rain is your favorite type of weather. Each of these would elicit an emotion. Let’s write it out for illustration.

Circumstance: Rain

Thought: This is going to ruin my day!

Emotion: Discouragement

Action: Grouchy, Negative

Result: A bad day

OR

Circumstance: Rain

Thought: I love rain!

Emotion: Excitement

Action: Grateful, Enjoy the rain

Result: A great day

So, that was simplified for illustration but do you see how the circumstance (rain) was the same. The emotions and outcome came from the THOUGHT not the Circumstance! And the THOUGHT created the EMOTION which dictated the ACTION which created the RESULT. 

What if you really did have a wedding or something important that day and the rain really was a problem? You can still choose your thoughts and how you feel!  NO you’re not going to go with “I love rain, this is great!” But what about:

Circumstance: Rain

Thought: “Okay, I really hoped for sunshine, but what is most important today and what can I influence since I can’t change the rain?”

Emotion: Hope, Empowered

Action: Problem solving, Positivity

Result: Connection, being in the moment, making the best of it and enjoying the people, experience and bonding which are more important than weather

This is the power we DO have! This is the power of choosing our thoughts! When we practice and apply this tool we are empowered to change our emotions and results. Grab a piece of paper and write out each step. The thought may not always be easily identifiable but we can usually identify our emotion or action so start there, then go back and fill in the thought. Practice and let this change your life for good!

Learn more life changing tools like this in the Joyful Life Community!