Observe your thinking in 3 easy steps

Today I had a moment where I observed my own mind in order to get past some anxiety. I share it with you so you can see that it is possible, and you can learn how in 3 easy steps. Here is what happened...

I was sat at my computer and I felt sudden anxiety. My chest was fluttery and I felt my head fall and my face frown. In that moment, part of my brain said gently "I can see you are feeling anxious, why do you think that might be?". Yes, I was feeling anxious, and I wasn't sure why, but the question got me curious. I took a pause and started to think about what might be making me anxious. I realised it was because two things that I wasn't expecting had just landed in my inbox after I had scheduled my work for the day.

my brain said gently "I can see you are feeling anxious, why do you think that might be?".

One I had established the reason for the anxiety, I was able to consider why the new tasks had created that feeling of anxiety. I decided it was because I was thinking I couldn't cope and thinking that I wouldn't be able to get everything done. Once I knew what thoughts were causing my feeling of anxiety, I was able to see that in reality, I probably could do the new tasks, I would just have to reorganise my tasks and my time. When I realised that I felt calmer, and was able to set about reorganising my time, and I was able to get through most of what I had to do today.

Do you think that I would have been able to calmly consider how to take the best next step if I had stayed in anxiety, blind to what was causing it? I don't think so. In the past when I haven't had this kind of awareness, I have stayed anxious and jumped from one task to another, not achieving much. Thankfully today was different.

Are there situations where you feel stressed or anxious and don't stop to examine why? I know how you feel! In the past I didn't know that I could change my thinking and change my emotions. I felt powerless and at the mercy of my feelings until I was told that I could change my feelings if I examined my thinking, then changed it. Did you know that you can change your thoughts and that will change your feelings?

Did you know that you can change your thoughts and that will change your feelings?

Next time you experience a strong emotion in the moment, try these three steps:-

1. What am I feeling right now? Label the feeling.

2. What I am thinking that is causing this feeling?

3. What is the next best step then I can take right now to move forwards?

Have a great day.

P.S. Did you know that you can change your thinking, and it will change the way you feel? I speak the truth people, and you can learn how.