It’s been written a thousand times, “Thoughts are harmless unless we believe it.”
This is when experts step up to simplify the message, “It’s not our thoughts but the attachment to our thoughts that cause suffering.”
I don’t know about you but my entire childhood was oversaturated with an extremely protective stepfather that constantly grilled five meant for nothing trouble teens, “What were you thinking?”
I must have became him because no morning sunrise passes that my writing instrument doesn’t scrape into the pages of a hard covered book, “Why can’t you let this go?”
In Byron Katie’s book Loving What Is…she presents the idea that fueling a thought feeds your belief. Where weakness is found isn’t necessarily inside the thought but the lack of energy spent inquiring what the thought is truly all about. We tend to believe what we perceive.
Here’s a great example: I’m 49 with natural dark brown not gray hair without a shortage. My musical tastes are Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Usher and Ryan Seacrest. I listen to Hip Hop while texting, Skyping,
Tweeting and Face Booking. I have more energy and less body aches in Tae Kwon Do then most half my age in class. If you ask my soul it’ll tell you, “I’m sixteen!”
But reality bites when trying to further my performance in broadcasting. My thoughts are caked with young ideas, dreams and the willingness to accept all challenges. The industry thinks otherwise. Therefore
I deal with extremely dangerous depressions that resemble a four year old looking up at his mother wondering why he can’t ride a ten speed bike with all the other numb skull kids on the block.
Thoughts are harmless unless we believe it.
Katie unveils her truths by exposing, “One day I wasn’t breathing. I was being breathed. Basically meaning I wasn’t thinking, I was being thought.”
Whoa! That’s even too deep for me. At least until the puzzle pieces begin the process of being shaped on the cold winter floor.
Katie explains, “No one has ever been able to control their thinking. Instead of letting go of your thoughts meet them half way by allowing there to be an understanding. Then let them go.
Case in point; 49 year old radio guy whose thoughts of being successful on a modern Top 40 station aren’t going to happen but he can create better commercials that fit into the places a radio listener stops participating. Rather than pushing ears away his writing and way of thinking and producing don’t create a disconnection to a life and style he lives therefore it comes across as sharing.
Katie asks, “Would you argue with a raindrop?”
Raindrops aren’t personal nor are their thoughts. Once a painful concept is met with understanding, the next time it appears you might find it to be interesting or you might ignore its sudden appearance on the path.
What thoughts in your chapters have been given permission to breathe you?
Think about it…
We hear it all the time! Someone close catches wind of your moments of weakness and compassionately offer the message, “You need to take a few minutes to breathe.”
Are you breathing or is it breathing you?
I play a stupid game called Lost and Found. When it feels like the world has dumped its load on my shoulders I call the spade a spade, “You’re lost. Now it’s time to find.”
Your choice of drugs isn’t always the best addiction. Understanding what gets you high keeps you from reaching what I call the caffeine rush; up one minute sliding into a basement within a few minutes. Talking to friends, coworkers and accepted relations on Face Book is never the answer. Understand the documented rules of sympathy versus empathy. A lot of relationships are shattered if the right words aren’t put into play. Your life isn’t going to get better if your friend perks you up like a Red Bull.
Thoughts are harmless unless we believe it.
It’s not that I’m a skeptic I just know where being pessimistic has led me. Why should you settle for a glass that’s half full when an entire mug of milk always goes better with chocolate chip cookies?
I’ll always believe in you first…
arroecollins@clearchannel.com
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