Have you ever had that feeling that something bad was about to happen, but you couldn’t put your finger on it? Or, have you ever stopped to think, Is this really right for me?
If so, you may have experienced a little thought tracing going on in your head — and it may just be one of the most powerful tools you can use to improve your mental health and well-being!
Thought tracing allows you to observe the thoughts at the root of your emotions and helps you access the space between stimulus and response, where thought patterns can be changed. In essence, this is a blueprint to rewiring your brain for love, joy, and anything else you may be calling in.
Thoughts are like the wind. They are ever-present and always changing, flowing freely in every direction. Often we don’t even notice our thoughts, much less fully understanding their meaning or purpose in our lives. Thought tracing helps us understand our own minds so we can connect with our inner world to see, feel and process emotions within us which in turn leads to greater fulfillment, joy and happiness in the physical world we experience with our senses.
If you struggle with anxiety, depression, or an underlying sense of sadness that can’t be explained by the events going on in your life, you’re likely to benefit from thought tracing. This technique enables you to get in touch with the feelings and emotions deep inside of you that are causing your current mood or mental state, in order to process them properly so that they can no longer negatively affect your day-to-day life as much as they used to (or not at all).
How Thought Tracing Works
Neuroscience teaches us that we have over 70,000 thoughts a day and that 80% of those thoughts are from the day before. However, the real kicker is that 90% of these thoughts are negative!
Wait a second … Let this land for you.
Not only are the vast majority of our thoughts from the previous day but 90% of those thoughts are negative!
How is this not something all of us know?
With this knowledge alone; it so clearly allows us to see the negative feedback loop of the mind. So, that begs the question, “What can we do about it”?
First and foremost, we must choose to accept this and make a conscious effort to bring the unconscious to light. How do we do that?
SLOWING DOWN.
Meditation is a fantastic practice to help clear the mind and even feel more re-energized after a session. However, typically meditation is about seeing a thought, recognizing the thought as a thought then letting it drift out of your awareness. Whereas, thought tracing is nearly the opposite.
Thought tracing is a practice of reflection and allowing thoughts to come in.
Step 1: Let the Thought Land
Step 2: Hear the Thought & Fully Witness It
Step 3: Ask this Thought/Story What it Needs
Step 4: Give Yourself Grace and Act Upon Said Needs
Step 1: Let the Thought Land
The first step is to simply let the thought enter your mind. This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s important to allow yourself to sit with the thought before trying to process it. Once the thought is in your mind, take a deep breath and relax.
Become aware of how you are feeling physically at this moment. Notice what sensations you feel on your skin, what sounds you hear, what tastes or smells are present.
Some people find that looking at their surroundings can be helpful as well – noticing colors or textures of objects around them might provide some grounding if they’re feeling stressed out by an intense emotion they’re experiencing.
Now focus on the thoughts themselves. Notice if they are positive or negative – or both! What does the negative thought make you feel? What does the positive one make you feel? Explore these feelings fully without judging them as good or bad. The next step is to imagine yourself handling each of these thoughts with care, understanding and love.
Step 2: Hear the Thought & Fully Witness It
Once you’ve become aware of the thought, it’s important to hear it fully. This means not only listening to the words, but also observing the energy and feeling behind them. Doing so will help you understand the root of the thought and why it’s affecting you. If the thought is based in fear, for example, hearing it will help you see how irrational it is. Once you’ve heard the thought, you can begin to process and release it.
The truth is many of these thoughts just want to be seen and fully witnessed. In a future blog, we’ll explore IFS (internal family systems) AKA parts work. The practice of IFS in a nutshell is realizing that we all have voices in our heads and that these voices make up the different parts of ourselves.
Step 3: Ask this Thought/Story What it Needs
What does this story need in order to be resolved? What is the missing piece? Often, we get caught up in our thoughts and emotions without realizing that there is a solution. This solution could be simple, or it could be more complicated like changing our perspective. Whatever it is, asking your thought or story what it needs can help you find clarity and peace.
The practice of Internal Family Systems teaches that by acknowledging these parts (voices), we are able to process what it is they are asking for and through doing so over time they begin to soften.
Step 4: Give Yourself Grace and Act Upon Said Needs
After you’ve identified and worked through the emotions you’re experiencing, it’s important to give yourself grace. You are human, and you deserve compassion. However, it’s not enough to always go within and just anticipate or even expect and wait for changes in the external world. Rather, we need to act on our needs as well. This is the practice of SOUL/Life Balance. The SOUL part of this is going within to do a scan of your inner world, whereas the Life side requires action upon learning what needs to be addressed in physical form. If you’ll recall from the most previous blog, we explored the archetypal energies of Yin & Yang … Yin represents our soul while yang represents how we show up in our lives.
So, what’s next?
Maybe it means taking a mental health day, scheduling more self-care into your week, or reaching out to a therapist.
Whatever it is, make sure you’re giving yourself the time and care you need to continue upon your healing journey. It’s been said that “we’re all just walking each other home”. Healing is a life-long journey, but it doesn’t have to be arduous. Community is key, and if you’re looking to expand your community, I recommend checking out my podcast, Soul Seekr, as I’ve had the great fortune of interviewing amazing guests (many with their own communities to dive deeper into their own unique processes as it relates to inner journeying).
Closing
Though it may feel vulnerable, thought tracing is a powerful way to connect with your inner world and process emotions. By taking the time to identify and follow your thoughts, you can gain greater insight into what brings you fulfillment, joy, and happiness. Plus, this practice can help you become more aware of negative thinking patterns that may be holding you back from living your best life. So if you’re feeling stuck or lost, give thought tracing a try. You just might find that it’s the key to unlocking a more joyful and fulfilling life.
The key is to ask yourself daily, “How can I feed my Soul today”?
To a More Fulfilling Life,
Sam