Why Managing Our Thoughts Is The Best Form of Self-Care

How Thought Management Is True Self-Care

Self-care can come in many forms.  When you think of self-care, the most common imagery is someone soaking in a hot bubble bath, receiving a massage at a spa, eating healthy, and exercising.  Although all of those are self-care, they focus mainly on external practices.  Yes, eating healthy and exercise does assist in care within our bodies, but it’s still a tangible thing.  While they have amazing benefits to us, there is more to self-care than the physical.

We live in a world that focuses a lot of attention on the tangible.  On the things that we can see, touch, smell and taste.  However, what tends to get forgotten about, is the intangible.  Such things as our mind and spirit.

Our minds, our brains, are an amazing tool.  I say tool, because tools are utilized to build, grow and create.  Our brain does all of that and more.

Our brain is at the center of how we function as human beings.  It is what directs all the intricacies in our bodies to what they do.  It also wants to protect us.  Whether that be from a wild animal trying to eat us or from our desire to try something different and knew.   Our brain doesn’t know the difference.  It just knows that there’s something foreign happening and it’s first response is to protect.  Whether by making it run or making react.   Both are a form of self-preservation which is different than self-care.

How We Can Practice Self-Care Through Thought Management

Thought management is simply the process of being aware of what are thoughts, why we think them and how we can consciously change them.

Most times our thoughts are on auto-pilot.  How many times have you driven home or to the grocery store and can’t remember the actual trip?  That’s because the trip from point A to point B is so ingrained in us, that we don’t even have to think about it.  Unfortunately, many times that happens with our thoughts regarding our circumstances,  other people, and the world.

What I’d like to offer is a alternative way to living our lives.  What I’d like to offer, is the opportunity to practice self-care by purposely choosing our thoughts about our circumstance, the people around us, and the world we live in.   By choosing to ask ourselves, why am I thinking this thought?, we are bringing awareness to our thinking. It’s the most loving and self-compassionate thing we can do for ourselves and everyone else.

How I Practice Self-Care Through Thought Management

For many years I  have been practicing self-development in various ways.  I read books, listen to podcasts, etc. and I’ve come to value the opportunities that are available for us to improve our quality of life.  When I first started this blog, my intention was about sharing my thoughts on positive thinking and living our lives on purpose and consciously.

A couple of months ago I came across the topic of self-coaching and I really fell hard for the concept of taking control of my life through conscious management of my thoughts and how I choose to think about things.  Learning that how I feel about something is a direct result of the thoughts I have about what that something is and that those feelings are what cause me to act, react, or not take any action at all, totally blew my mind.

When I experience a feeling about something I now ask myself, what is the thought I am having that is causing this feeling?  I sit with it for a few seconds and 8/10 times a thought will emerge that I hadn’t realized I was thinking.  Once I become aware of what that thought is, I can work at changing it.

I use the Self-Coaching Model to help me work through what I may be thinking, feeling, or why I’m struggling with a certain behavior or habit.  The Self-Coaching Model is a tool created by Brooke Castillo of The Life Coach School that can basically solve any problem because it’s how the universe works.  The basic principle of the model is very simple: Our thoughts create our feelings, our feelings create our actions, and our actions create our results. 

Circumstances ⇒ Thoughts ⇒ Feelings ⇒ Actions ⇒ Results

Thought Management is Self-Care

There is no greater gift you can give yourself, than mental and emotional well-being.  Understanding your thoughts and why you have them is a game changer because that puts you in the driver’s seat.  That gives you the empowerment of deciding what new thoughts you want to have to influence better and healthier feelings that cause more positive actions and exciting results.

What are you thinking?

-Lynnette