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Become an observer of your thoughts from "summary" of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Steven Hayes,Spencer Smith
As you start to practice mindfulness, you will notice that your mind is constantly churning out thoughts. These thoughts can be positive, negative, neutral, helpful, unhelpful - a whole mix of different things. The key is to simply observe these thoughts without getting caught up in them. Think of yourself as a scientist observing a fascinating experiment. You are not judging or analyzing the thoughts, just noticing them as they come and go. When you become an observer of your thoughts, you are creating some distance between yourself and your thoughts. This allows you to see that you are not your thoughts. You are the one who is observing the thoughts. This shift in perspective can be incredibly liberating. You start to realize that you have a choice in how you respond to your thoughts. You don't have to believe everything your mind tells you. As you observe your thoughts, you may start to notice certain patterns or themes that keep popping up. Maybe you have a tendency to always think about worst-case scenarios, or perhaps you constantly criticize yourself. By becoming aware of these patterns, you can start to see how they impact your mood and behavior. This awareness is the first step towards making changes. Being an observer of your thoughts also allows you to cultivate a sense of mindfulness. Instead of being on autopilot and reacting to every thought that pops into your head, you can choose to respond mindfully. You can decide whether to engage with a particular thought or simply let it pass by. This sense of awareness and choice is empowering. It gives you the freedom to live in alignment with your values and goals. Remember, the goal is not to stop your thoughts or suppress them. That would be impossible and counterproductive. The goal is simply to observe your thoughts with curiosity and openness. By doing so, you can develop a healthier relationship with your mind and learn to navigate the ups and downs of life with more ease and grace. Practice being an observer of your thoughts, and see how it can transform your experience of the world.
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