You have an average of 60,000 thoughts per day and roughly 95% of them are repetitive. (As a side note, roughly 75% of them are negative, but that’s a post for another day.) This is your brain on default.
It is why you sometimes feel like you are living the same day over and over again.
It is also why it is very hard for you to see someone in your life any differently than you have always seen them.
I was in a conversation the other day that I felt like I’d been in a million times with this person. But this time I chose to think, “I will listen”.
From that thought, my brain shifted into listening mode and I heard some of the same things but in a different light. I gave my full attention to what they were saying and I felt the energy and emotion behind their words. I also asked some questions to make sure I really understood what they were saying.
The result of the conversation was different that it had even been before.
Because I had been repeating this thought often, it was readily available to me when I needed it.
If you are looking to be more intentional with your thoughts around relationships, you could start experimenting with any of the following thoughts:
- I will listen
- I will not let my ego be in charge of my response
- I will accept others exactly as they are
The key to helping these thoughts become your default thought is to repeat, repeat, repeat. You can find these thoughts and more at try-this-thought.com to hang on your mirror to help you remember to repeat them often.
Experiment with these thoughts this week and see what changes in your relationships.