The past couple of weeks—last week, in particular—I’ve had a lot of negative thoughts and replaying of limiting beliefs.

I objectively know that thoughts are just…thoughts…nothing more, nothing less, yet I still struggle with giving them far too much power and control.

Control to shape my moods. My attitudes toward coworkers and family. And, a big one, my self-worth.

In fact, the other day, I was having a particularly difficult time.

I was feeling rather hopeless, extremely “stuck” in the idea that maybe there is something about me—some lack of resilience or innately negative worldview—that makes it impossible for me to follow the advice of my therapist and simply recognize my thoughts, be present, and choose how to act in response to those thoughts.

I was irritable most of the day and actually envisioned my next session, where I would simply tell her (in much kinder words and phrasing, of course) that “hey, this shit isn’t working for me.”

That, even though this was evidence-based and something she’s practiced and preached for many years, it was minimizing and trivializing my struggles. It was basically garbage.

And then, in a humorous “universe knocking you upside the head” kind of way, I realized the obvious…

IT’S JUST A THOUGHT.

No, really. My thought about my failures at identifying thoughts, not letting them control my behaviors, and recognizing the difficulty of such a practice wasn’t a certitude or dictum of the universe.

It was just a thought. A perception. A manifestation of my sadness, anxiety, and temporary lack of willpower to push through and continue working hard. An excuse to give up trying.

I actually laughed out loud in my car…and made a mental note to turn my “awakening” into a blog post.

Like many people, I am drawn to instant gratification. I like easy things.

Sure, I know how to work hard and have earned my achievements in life, but if I can still succeed by taking a shortcut or procrastinating till the very end, you’d better believe that’s the road I’ll take.

But, life—real living—isn’t like that.

True contentment and belonging aren’t instantaneous. It takes being uncomfortable at times and trudging through struggles to see the positive effects.

And, so, we should all remember: thoughts are just thoughts.

Just because we think it—just because our critical minds generate an idea, no matter how persistent—that doesn’t mean it’s true.

We control our destinies. We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to make good choices when faced with negative thoughts or difficult feelings.

We can’t ignore them or bury them deep within us (without suffering the consequences), but we can reframe them or tackle them in a way that heals and moves us forward.

Sometimes a thought is *just* a thought. Nothing more, nothing less. Share on X

[linking up with Amanda for thinking out loud]

So tell me…

• What are some “sticky” thoughts you struggle with?
• What strategies do you use to move past negative thoughts?
• Have you had any “universe knocking you upside the head” moments recently?