Going With The Flow
Imagine a pile of sand.
Slowly pour water onto the sand. What happens?
The water builds up, but then starts to flow away. As it flows, the water finds the path easier and easier to follow and will continue along the path that it has created. Eventually, the water will carry away the sand and solidify the forged path. Future water will walk the same trail as the pioneer water before them.
Your thought patterns work in a very similar fashion.
As a child, you were exposed to ideas, beliefs, and experiences. As your brain sought to process these things, thought began to flow in various directions. Like the water.
Regardless of accuracy, the thought pattern developed; eventually carving the path for the filter by which you would understand the world.
Crazy right?!
Here is a real life example.
"I Hate Myself"
No, seriously. I do.
Some time ago, I developed this thought pattern. Experiences and how I interpreted what I was being told led to the conclusion that I am a bad person-a broken person.
Then my thoughts took other paths, leading to the conclusion that I was unintelligent, ugly, boring, and unlovable.
"Everyone hates me" became a regular conclusion in my life.
"Everyone will eventually betray me" was another.
As an adult, I've had incredible friendships that have stepped into fight back against these false beliefs. The problem is that I have believed them so long and dwelt on them so much that I have some pretty deep thought trenches in my head.
I must now face the challenge of forging new paths for the water to flow, while also dealing with the fact that the water is still trying to deepen the paths already set.
Fighting Back
Metaphors can only take us so far to help us understand the truths of life. The development of thought patterns is far more complex than water on the sand. It is deeply influenced by our temperament, our nutrition, our community, and a hundred other things.
We are affected my the emotional stability of our families.
We are influenced by the DNA that was imparted to us.
It can be beneficial to know the sources, but it isn't necessary in most cases. What is important is you...
a) Identify the pattern or belief as false
b) Choose to fight against it at all costs
c) Surround yourself with healthy(er) community
To Be Continued...
Now that you know a little more about the sources and creation of false belief I hope that you can begin the journey to self care. Next time I'll share more about the challenges of thought recovery and my experience thereof.
Until then...
Grace and Peace,
Stephen
Imagine a pile of sand.
Slowly pour water onto the sand. What happens?
Your thought patterns work in a very similar fashion.
As a child, you were exposed to ideas, beliefs, and experiences. As your brain sought to process these things, thought began to flow in various directions. Like the water.
Regardless of accuracy, the thought pattern developed; eventually carving the path for the filter by which you would understand the world.
Crazy right?!
Here is a real life example.
"I Hate Myself"
No, seriously. I do.
Some time ago, I developed this thought pattern. Experiences and how I interpreted what I was being told led to the conclusion that I am a bad person-a broken person.
Then my thoughts took other paths, leading to the conclusion that I was unintelligent, ugly, boring, and unlovable.
"Everyone hates me" became a regular conclusion in my life.
"Everyone will eventually betray me" was another.
As an adult, I've had incredible friendships that have stepped into fight back against these false beliefs. The problem is that I have believed them so long and dwelt on them so much that I have some pretty deep thought trenches in my head.
I must now face the challenge of forging new paths for the water to flow, while also dealing with the fact that the water is still trying to deepen the paths already set.
Fighting Back
Metaphors can only take us so far to help us understand the truths of life. The development of thought patterns is far more complex than water on the sand. It is deeply influenced by our temperament, our nutrition, our community, and a hundred other things.
We are affected my the emotional stability of our families.
We are influenced by the DNA that was imparted to us.
It can be beneficial to know the sources, but it isn't necessary in most cases. What is important is you...
a) Identify the pattern or belief as false
b) Choose to fight against it at all costs
c) Surround yourself with healthy(er) community
To Be Continued...
Now that you know a little more about the sources and creation of false belief I hope that you can begin the journey to self care. Next time I'll share more about the challenges of thought recovery and my experience thereof.
Until then...
Grace and Peace,
Stephen
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