Tag Archives: thoughts

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Using your Inner Voice

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Sometimes it is not appropriate to express publically what we are thinking.  Doing so creates the risk of negative outcomes.  In these cases, the thoughts and feelings we choose not to express outwardly can serve to seem to warn, self-criticize, or influence our actions.

Using our inner voice can be a powerful tool, aiding us to behave in ways that will lead to the best results.  However, since only you can challenge your inner voice caution does need to be exercised.  The guidance you are giving yourself might not map to reality.

Let it Go

Active use of the inner voice may lead to frustration.   Typically these thoughts are negative or bridge on the more harmful emotions (e.g., anger, hate, sadness, frustration) frequent use can mire you in negativity.

Unquestionably there are occasions when the use of your inner voice can defuse a situation.  This should not become your “go-to” approach though as you will become disillusioned and basically tend to checkout.

Present as Humor

Sometimes the things you are thinking need to be said but blurting them out or boldly stating what you really think can often cause more damage than good.

Couching your ideas in humor, stating them in an offhand way and then perhaps saying something like “Oops, inner voice” and laughing can defuse the situation but still enable both making a point and letting off a little personal steam.

Use it, Don’t abuse it

Our inner voices can be very valuable in helping us behave appropriately outwardly without ignoring the issue.  When overused they can cause us to be morose and inwardly focused in ways not beneficial to our mental help.

Use you inner voice but exercise care to use it to the best effect.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Thinking

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How we think is key to the way we define ourselves.  Each individual has a unique way of thinking.  Thoughts drive our behavior which is core to how others perceive us.

How we think not only drives the perceptions of others but also how we perceive ourselves.  Our thoughts can bring us joy or sorrow depending on how we process and interpret them.

Our type of thinking typically falls into one of two major groups; emotional feelings or logical thoughts.  These are not independent of each other and combine to create an integrated behavioral outcome.

Emotions

Your subjective feelings are something that cannot be observed but are ultimately developed in your mind.  Your body, environment and thinking processes all influence them.

These feelings are unique to us but sometimes will be relatively the same as others who are experiencing the same influencing factors.  For example, if you are on an obviously sinking ship the majority, if not everyone will experience some form of fear.

Of course, on occasion the feelings are unique to us, love is an oft-cited example of this. That is the feeling of love for someone or something else can be very personal.

Logic

Using a system or set of principles of validity we develop an assessment based on reasoning.   Logic and emotional thought patterns and processes are very different.

Emotions can be more involuntary.  Logical thinking is typically both conscious and fully within our control.

Whichever type of thinking you are practicing at any given time, it defines you.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

The little Voice in your Head

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That little voice talking inside your head exists in everyone. That little voice is called inner speech, and you can hear it when you’re thinking or silently contemplating.

There are many unique variations of the voice.  Sometimes it arises instinctually as an early warning.  The message, in this case, is usually fear driven and focused on risk avoidance.

The voice could just be part of an unconscious direction reinforcing your values or learned behaviors from your environment.  For example, telling yourself to be nice when the situational context is driving you in the opposite direction.

Listening to your Little Voice

It is not a bad idea to trust your inner thoughts, but verify.  That is, your instinctive reaction is usually developed based on sub-consciously viewed and stored facts and worth considering.

The little voice can be a very useful guide but it can also include over-reaction and emotional drivers (e.g., fear) and should be validated to ensure extraneous feelings are not being incorporated in the direction provided.

Acting Prudently

The smoke test of a good decision or direction to proceed can be the little voice in your head but to reduce the risk of unhappiness (unsatisfactory outcomes) consider carefully before acting.

It behooves you to examine your inner thoughts in the harsh light of reality (For the existentialists among you the question, “What is the reality?”, is another topic altogether.)

Self-talk, in essence, the voices in your head, is really just one way of filtering information to arrive at a better decision.  It is not wise to ignore nor is it wise to play slave to these thoughts and ideas.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Listening to yourself

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Unconsciously, we are constantly talking to ourselves.  This has been labled”self-talk” and refers not to verbal communication but silent conversations in your mind.

That is not talking aloud, but rather silently communicating internally, sometimes without being fully aware you are doing so.

A Powerful Influence

Self talk is typically more influential on your feelings, attitudes and ultimately behaviour than standard discussions (i.e., talking) with others.

Unfortunately self talk typically focuses on the negative.  It illicits and builds on things like anger, frustration anxiety, fear and so on.

It is rare for us to tell ourselves how great we are doing, promoting confidence even exploring topics that provide pleasure and self satisfaction.

It is rare for self talk to pep you up and assist with personal success, particularly in it’s unconscious form.  We don’t even realize how we are dragging ourselves down.

This can change if you take conscious control of your self talk.

Take Control

When you take control and direct your self talk in positive and up lifting ways it can be a very powerful tool.  You can influence how you think and behave just by having a conversation with yourself (silently of course).

Using self talk conciously enables you to make sure the message is appropriate for you and allows for the application of logic to make what you are thinking is likely to achieve the desired results.

The first step to owning your self talk is recognition.  Pay attention to what you are telling yourself.  This will let you question the direction you are giving and perhaps modify or even block the message.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Thinking

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Thinking begins in your mind.  Thinking is the process of using one’s mind to consider or reason about something.  Typically thought is constrained by pre-defined concepts.  

That is, you need something to think about and normally that is already defined.  Based on the already known concepts you use reasoning to develop an understanding that goes beyond, or perhaps just validates what is know. 

Unconstrained Thinking

Given most thoughts begin on the foundation of an already recognized concept truly free thinking is difficult to engineer.  In essence the thought process begins from nothing.  

There is no starting point or beginning.  Thinking without reference or conceived understanding of something is the most innovative and creative.  

As there is no defined starting point or goal, free form thinking almost needs to start from a point of unconscious awareness (two contradictory concepts).

Manage your Thoughts

While you can use your mind both consciously and unconsciously, control of the process typically requires some conscious oversight to be a fully formed idea you can act on.

To avoid constraints, migrating the idea from your sub-conscious to fully conscious state of mind enables you to initiate the thought process without casting out the apparently unrealistic thoughts.  

Unfortunately our conscious minds apply pre-conceived constraints, assuming they are valid, which causes ideas which do not conform to known concepts to be cast aside arbitrarily.  

Unconstrained thinking does not always lead to results but if you shut ideas down without some thought, good things can be overlooked. 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Deep Thoughts

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The recovery of gold usually involves digging of some sort, whether tunnels underground or open pit mining.  Gold has a perceived value high enough to make the recovery effort worth it. 

What about your deep thoughts? 

Thinking

Thoughts are defined as the action or process of thinking.  In the normal course of events we develop a thought, interpret it and act.  More profound thoughts, that is thoughts that are complex and require interpretation can be classified as deep thoughts.

Deep thoughts are, by definition, any thoughts that are complex, somewhat buried and not readily accessible.  This type of thinking is often overlooked by us and not considered worth the effort to retrieve or interpret. 

Like gold, the intrinsic value of a deep thought must be recognized and understood to motivate us to take the time and effort for search and recovery. 

Seek Them Out

Your deep thoughts might be hidden just below the surface of your conscious, (i.e., within the unconscious states of your brain) but they are almost always ever present, just easily ignored (because they are not part of your consciousness). 

Typically the results of deep thinking can be very powerful and rewarding.  Of course, the effort to extract, interpret and implement them is not trivial.  In essence, it is a balanced effort/reward equation.  

Extra effort is required.  Extra benefits are accrued. 

Acquiring your deep thoughts

Grasping onto those buried complex thoughts mainly requires concentration.  Recognizing the presence of deep thoughts within the unconscious spaces of your mind is the first step. 

After grasping onto the thoughts and pulling it into your conscious mind, the next step is taking the time to unpack them into a state you can use, that is, understand their intent/meaning and act accordingly.

Like mining for gold, it is likely you will find this a worthwhile exercise.