Our Thoughts Create Our Experience

Most of us do not realize that we are constantly creating our reality through the mind stream that interprets our experience. Imagine driving down a road on a beautiful day taking your time to view the scenery  and thinking what a lovely place this is, I am so lucky to live here.  Now imaging driving down the same road on a beautiful day when you are in a rush to get somewhere and encountering a slow driver with no place to pass, you think I hate these drivers that get in my way why can't they drive the speed limit? Just notice that you are traveling down the same road but a different experience!  Our mind is constantly choosing to focus on some things and ignore others.  The process is so automatic we rarely recognize it. The process of sorting and filtering, judging and categorizing is the constant underlying   structure of our experience.  Now consider that most of your stress is related to this very process.  Our mind tells us that it is the outside events, people and content of our lives that is causing our stress.  More accurately, it  is the meaning we give these things which is controlling our experience.  

The process of becoming more aware of our thoughts and recognizing there is choice involved can be a tremendously freeing change of focus.   Mindfulness practice is exactly this change of focus.  It is learning to become more observant of our internal world and through this learning to change our experience in the direction of happiness.  Just notice that you can have a thought and at the same time observe that you are thinking the thought.  Who is observing?  You are not your thoughts you are the creator of your thoughts and you can change their meaning at any time.  For most people this a radical idea, but it is the central awareness  in creating the experience of happiness.  

If you are struggling with stress or feeling trapped in your unhappy life experience contact us @ Professional alternatives, PLC (540)825-2788 or on the web @ http://www.professionalcounselingpiedmontva.com for help with changing your reality.