Catch the Long Tail of a Thought

Tricky thing …this job of observing our thoughts.

They come and go at the speed of light, eluding our best efforts to spot them… to catch them in the act.

What’s a body to do?

Good question. In fact, that’s a great question.

Better yet, the question is the answer.

Huh?

Let me repeat the question, ah, I mean the answer.

What’s a Body to do?

Truth is, the easiest way to catch a thought is by grabbing hold of it’s tail.

As a thought flies through our mind, we feel it’s ‘tail’ in our body.

We feel the thought in our body.

So in order to observe our thoughts,  start by practicing awareness.

Try this.

Think of something you really dislike. (Hm… diced chicken livers in turkey stuffing. Ugh.)

How does that feel in your body? (…Icky)

Now think of something you really like. (Ah… blowing giant bubbles on a sunny day.)

How does your body feel now? (Oh, ya. I feel light.)

Crappy thoughts usually make us feel crappy.

Loving thoughts usually make us feel loving.

Fearful thoughts usually make us feel afraid.

Then, with a little help from our brain we choose to act or react.

‘Act’ comes from a place of calm, confident alignment.

‘React’ comes from flight or fight…the Land of our Lizard Brain.

(You don’t want to know what I did with those chicken livers.)

Where the mind goes, the body follows.

See how this works?

Thought

Feeling

Action

• .
  

Result

Validation of opening thought ( I call this ‘Wallpapering your Corner’ but that’s another post.)

Just like the wind lifts and carries the kite in the photo above, thoughts carry ego/spirit/self, steering it into the stream of consciousness you focus on.

Whoa! Heads up. Watch out for the power lines.

Good recovery. Now you’ve got it.

When you pay attention to your body,  you can catch the long tail of thought.

Showing Up for your Self all starts with awareness.

Oh-oh. Wind’s up… gotta fly.

P.S.

Future posts:

The Land of the Lizard Brain, Wallpapering Your Corner, How to Show UP for Yourself and What was I Thinking?

Curious about how your inner genius, creativity, pursuit of meaning and the success experience connect naturally? Find out at dawnkotzer.com. Dawn Kotzer, Certified Master Creativity Coach, Artist and Martha Beck Certified Life Coach engages life from her Boreal Forest home in Saskatchewan, Canada. Want to Laugh More, Love More, Live more? Get in touch here.