Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?

by Julie Smith

Like wicker strands woven together, it’s hard to notice each one individually. We just experience the basket as a whole.

We cannot directly choose our emotions and switch them on but we can use the things we can control to change how we feel.

Just as thoughts are not facts, feelings are not facts either. Emotions are information, but when that information is powerful, intense and loud, as emotions can be, then we are more vulnerable to believing in them as a true reflection of what is going on.

But when you are trying to come back from a dark place, the mental filter is something to be aware of.

Thoughts are not facts. They are a mix of opinions, judgements, stories, memories, theories, interpretations, and predictions about the future.

When it comes to thoughts, attention is power. If you imagine your attention as a spotlight, many people leave that spotlight to move freely, wherever the wind blows. Your brain will occasionally take control if there are any signs of danger or threat. But we can also consciously choose to redirect that spotlight, paying attention to specific aspects of our experience on purpose.

If you want to learn to drive, you take lessons. I see mindfulness practice as the driving lesson for managing the mind.

Rumination is like a thoughts washing machine. It’s the process of churning thoughts over and over for minutes, hours or days at a time. We already know that the depressed brain

‘What would I do if I was at my best?’

Meditation is like a gym workout for the mind. It provides a space to practise the skills being used.

The power of any thought is in how much we believe it to be the only truth.

Focus on making good decisions, not perfect ones. ‘Good enough’ steers you towards real change.

If you start doing that thing that you wish you felt like doing, you have more chance of stimulating your brain in a way that brings about enjoyment or a sense of motivation.