Neurotic thoughts are such a trap! Do this exercise that I did and you’ll see

[blankisomeone]

I’ve been keeping a journal of my thoughts and it made me realize how neurotic most of them are. I’ve been keeping it for two weeks now. Reading the thoughts back is the most hilarious thing ever. It really puts things in perspective. It just goes to show how much we can’t trust our thoughts and how 99% of our thoughts are USELESS. (I really don’t exaggerate when I say 99%)

Anyways. I ended up logging in about 80 or so thoughts in this journal. I noticed some patterns (listed below) in my thoughts and it made me realize how much they’re not helping me. It made me realize more clearly than ever how much they can hold us back from doing ANYTHING. Most importantly, in a more spiritual level, it made me realize how much I’m not my thoughts. Because for me to be studying my thoughts like this, there must be something, something bigger, doing the observation. But that is something that I can’t explain with more thoughts.

THOUGHT PATTERNS:

• I couldn’t have stopped myself from [insert bad habit here].
• [insert bad habit here] is bad but it feels so good.
• I can [insert bad habit here] just one last time before quitting. Just one last time.
• Fuck [insert difficult subject from university here]! This shit is too hard. *Gets stressed out and gives up. Then picks it up again because I actually might need it but feels bad because I wasted that time when I gave up and complained about how difficult it is.
• [Insert person here] didn’t instantly reply to my message! [Insert person here] probably hates me and thinks I’m annoying and wants to keep distance from me!
• Everyone in [insert a developed first-world country here] is happier than me! It’s impossible to be happy in my country.
• I’m not gonna [insert difficult task here] because [insert excuses here]
• I can’t stop [insert bad habit here or bad quality here] because that’s what I’ve always done or always been my entire life so I can’t change now

can anyone relate lol

[Jonson]

 

omg.. literally me with college situation. i have so many neurotic thoughts and i'm so lazy all the time.

i moved from romania to germany 3 months ago to study . for holidays i'm going home and i am sooo happy ..   

[Bill W]

Good topic.

I recently made the below entry onto my journal. Anyway, I think it's my version of what you have done here!

I have developed three questions to ask myself when my peace of mind has been disturbed. I got this idea from a mixture of Osho, Don Miguel Ruiz, Albert Ellis and Alcoholics Anonymous.

Osho refers to following "the law" in his book The Buddha Said. Osho writes that when we feel like shit it is because we have gone against the law and we need to reflect on how we have gone against the law. He says don't be in conflict with the law if you want to be happy. 

So, if I am upset or otherwise agitated I come back to these three questions. Every time, at least one of them applies to my upset, and my upset is a warning sign that I have gone against the law. 

1. Am I sure?

2. Have I taken something personally?

3. Are my demands out of touch with reality?

[Rebecca Kalamata]

Thanks. I like this very much. It reminds me of Byron Katie's 4 questions.

Byron Katie's 4 Questions

1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?
3. How do you react when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without the thought?

Edited December 13, 2019 by Rebecca Kalamata
typo