IN a day an average human being entertains over 60 000 thoughts, 90% of which are repetitive. These thoughts range from the mundane, like what one should have for dinner, to deeper and fundamental ideas, such as belief systems and life struggles.
We can look at the mind and view it as a maze, a labyrinth, which has an entrance and each thought viewed as a path, most resulting in dead ends with these dead ends symbolising psychological entrapment. In this article, we will look at practices one can adopt to navigate the labyrinth of the mind and amplify the thoughts that illuminate the way. Think of your mind as a maze, a complex structure with many paths. Each thought is a path and some lead to dead ends, symbolising psychological traps. In this article, we will explore practices to help you navigate this maze and amplify the thoughts that lead to a healthy positive way of thinking.
Now the reason why a select few thoughts can be viewed as exits is that not every thought that crosses our mind should be entertained. It is easy to spend time and energy on mundane things that do not necessarily help us to achieve our set goals.
Naturally, not all thoughts that cross our minds will be positive. Most people will entertain more negative thoughts owing to the unpredictable nature of life. This in itself is not a problem. However, allowing our outlook on life to be shaped by these negative thoughts is. If two people are guests at a wedding and one gives feedback and comments on how the service started late and the food was served cold, and the like.
The second person, however, chooses to highlight how delicious the food was and how the reception was well planned both these individuals are right.
Although both these individuals gave a correct account of the wedding, due to the difference in perspectives they have, the reality they experienced differs. It is the thoughts that you entertain in your conscious mind that will impress upon your subconscious mind and cause you to feel the way you feel their perspectives differed, and their reality differed. The thoughts that you think in your conscious mind will impress upon your subconscious mind and cause you to feel the way you feel, and this has a direct impact on your worldview.
One might ask: “How then do I navigate the labyrinth of the mind?” Below I have listed three powerful practices one can adopt that may illuminate the way to positive thinking.
The art of distraction
Oftentimes when we try to get thoughts out of our head we succeed in doing the opposite and magnify them instead. Rather than this, one can actively focus on an entirely different idea. Instead of trying to stop thinking about the undesirable thought, the brain’s energy can be diverted towards focusing on different ideas, which produces distraction.
Affirmations and visualisation
Affirmation is the action or process of declaring something. Visualisation by definition is the formation of a vivid mental image. Although seemingly minuscule when exercised together they set forth a radical change in our thought patterns and convince the brain that you can in fact, achieve whatever it is you’re affirming in visualising.
Practising gratitude
Gratitude is the quality of being grateful. One can practise gratitude by finding a certain number of things everyday to be grateful for. For example, one can list five things they are grateful for each day with the next day having five things different from the day before. As one expresses gratitude towards their surrounding the brain focuses on this instead of anxious thoughts as anxiety and gratitude cannot coexist in the brain.
Where one can use these tools individually to navigate the labyrinth of the mind together they produce a paradigm shift in the dynamic of the mind. As one uses these tools the mind will produce ideas and thoughts that align with the goals that one is working towards, thereby creating an illuminated path towards the end destination through this maze of the mind.
- Rutendo Kureya is a medical student at Saint Petersburg State Paediatric Medical University. She can be reached at kureyaru@gmail.com. Mobile: +7 996 274 98 66. She writes here in her personal capacity.
