Do you control your thoughts?

Question

Or,do they control you?And your life?

Answer 1

MMM.... the big one, the whole basis of psychodynamics and one which i think is very much dependant on how we define thought.

We can control "thought",to the extent that we can order our concious around cognitive schema that we have developed We can reshuffel, relabel and resequence against past experiences and make decisions based on behavioural lessons (all very controlled yes?). To this end we can even suppress thought, the old familair "i dont want to think about that now"

However whether that thought actually goes away or just rumbles round a big old subconcious looking to get out is another matter. Again the definition of thought; is anger a thought once you know you are angry or does it remain an emotion ? you can control the behaviour arising but do you control the actual "welling up"

The whole basis of buddhism is the control of these swirling mental "flares". It can be done but only with very deep personal insight and recognition moment to moment of mental states. Next to impossible in "real" life and the rest of us just control by suppression and contra emotional behavioural response.

Thats my theory anyway :-)

Answer 2

Our brains can be unruly sometimes. It can be hard to control what you think. But what you think does determine the kind of life you lead.

Our minds can control what our brains think if we practice. The existence of the mind has never been proven, but I reckon it is like a culmination of all our feelings and thoughts and is in touch with the universe and nature.

If you make a conscious effort to direct your thoughts and have faith in the process, it can have amazing results in your life. So start today. A warning though, sometimes your brain doesn't take kindly to this kind of regulation, and you'll find yourself drifting off and thinking of other things. When that happens you just have to catch yourself and return to thinking the thoughts that you want to and perservere.

Great question by the way........... have a star.

Answer 3

I do not let my thoughts control my life unless it is in a positive direction. Many different thoughts enter my being but I tend to decipher which thoughts are the most useful in making a positive action come about. I am very strong willed therefore the majority of thoughts that come into my head are very helpful in rationalizing my next action .

Answer 4

We cannot control the world, but we can control our response to that. when feeling over whelmed by entities of uncontrollable, we have a tendency to loose control of the results. If we realize that that control is a force that can lead to an unfavorable ending, then the thought process will prevail. Good Luck

Answer 5

I don't see any subordinate relations between me an my thoughts, there is a deep communion which allows creativity to develop thoughts and feelings from deep, non-physical energy of creation. The thoughts change me as much as i keep changing them, there is no control either way.
Control nothing and you will not be controlled.

Answer 6

Lately, I think they've been controlling me and my life. I want to take control of them again, but I need a good way to do that and/or a meaningful diversion...

Answer 7

Their are times when I have to "Control" thoughts such as when I particularly dislike what someone has done to a member of my family and I want to wring their neck. Other times when something worries me I have to make an effort to think of something pleasent. This is the 2am sort of worry ,

Answer 8

I control my thoughts by taking advantage of the space between stimulus and response.

Answer 9

Anything that concerns me enough to think about it must be dealt with. I have learned to set time frames. Mourning the loss of something major I give myself three months, minir things I give myself a day or so to feel sorry for myself, cry about it then move on once my expiration date arrives. Expiration date means it is time to make new plans.

Answer 10

Once they controlled me for 20 years, now they don't anymore.