There is one thing completely unique about you. It is your thoughts. The culmination of your thoughts creates a narrative in your mind which determines how you view the world. These thoughts create emotion, meaning, and action.
You have the power in your thoughts to live in a world full of happiness and peace. What are you doing with this enormous potential?
Distraction
Many of us get distracted by others and this limits our potential. We take on other people’s attitudes, follow their advice by ignoring our own wisdom, and look for recognition to feel adequate.
We live in a world with others and it is natural to be distracted. Weak personal boundaries, however, don’t understand where we end, and the other person starts. We live in co-mingled realities instead of in our own shoes.
When we are distracted by others, the line between us and them becomes blurred to the dismay of us both. They don’t know who we are and neither do we. We don’t know who they are because it includes ourselves. This creates a mess.
We must not be distracted by the thoughts and opinions of others.
Disbelief
Another way our potential is limited is when we don’t believe in ourselves. Our thoughts defer to others for guidance. Instead of expressing our own gifts, wisdom, and experiences, we look to others to direct our lives.
When we look to others, the enormous potential in our own minds is lost. When our thoughts are overlooked by us, we assure no one will benefit. Our thoughts are unseen, unheard, and ignored.
Where does this disbelief come from? It can come from parents and others who declare our discounted worth. It also comes from culture’s preoccupation with financial success over individual greatness. And judgmental voices tell us we are not enough. The culmination of these forces shuts down the enormous potential of our minds.
Laziness
Another waste of our thought potential comes from laziness. Instead of capturing our brilliance, we let our thoughts drop to the floor. Rather than following our thoughts and using them as learning tools, we let them float into nothingness, gone forever.
Why have we become lazy with our thoughts? Possibly because our devices do so much thinking for us. I am not here to shame technology as the root of all evil. No, on the contrary, I am grateful for the ability to find facts to further my own abstract thinking.
But when we stop our own thinking, and use other people’s opinions to form our own, we limit the possibility of finding our own inner wisdom to solve our problems. If I Google, ‘how do I deal with an angry co-worker?’, but haven’t put some thought into it myself, I give myself over to the power of the other. ‘They’ do not know my co-worker, my reactions, our issues, or our hearts.
We can get great suggestions and advice from electronic sources. Again, I am not downplaying the value of it. You, however, have enormous value and insight. Use your mind to create a solution that is meant specifically for you.
It’s right there
Back to my original question of, ‘what are you doing with the enormous potential in your mind?’ Here are three suggestions of how to tap into its unrealized capacity and use it for your advantage.
1. Choose your attitude – your attitude determines how you experience your day. It is your thoughts about the present circumstances, your past, and the future.
Your thoughts determine your attitude. Although you may want to blame your crabby boss or distant spouse, how you respond to their attitude shows the strength of your own desire to direct your life.
It’s completely possible to go through difficulties with a good attitude. It can move you forward, hold hope alive, and be realistic. Your attitude is a powerful force. When you own the fact that it is yours to create and manage, you unlock enormous potential in your mind.
2. Use your thoughts for you, not against you – all your thoughts either work for you or against you.
Let’s say you see an injustice. Your initial reaction is to get angry and want to seek revenge. Are your thoughts working for you or against you? When we are angry, all kinds of physical effects are going on in our body. These immediate reactions can help us if we are in real danger but throw our decision-making skills off if not.
Ruminating on the injustice begins to cause damage in your body, mind, and spirit. These thoughts are circular and not productive. To use the enormous potential of your thoughts, a clear head is necessary. Thoughtfully considering different courses of action will do just that.
Use your thoughts for you.
3. Recite this mantra – I will carefully choose my thoughts to have a fulfilling life. This mantra will unlock the enormous potential of your thinking. I use the word fulfilling because this is what I want out of my life. You may use a different word such as successful, peaceful, or amazing.
When you carefully choose your thoughts, you use your intention to harness the power in your mind. Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking you have no control. Although your emotions, triggers, and experiences can be powerful, once you become aware of your thoughts, they are yours to manage.