From Mighty Editor-in-Chief, Megan Griffo
“Stop right now. Thank you very much.”
“Forgive me, I’m a 90s baby so yes, we’re quoting the Spice Girls today”.
If that sentence alone makes you want to run away, feel free to ignore me. But if you’re up for indulging me …..
For the last few months, I’ve been practicing a technique I learned from my yoga teacher. It’s pretty simple – so simple in fact I:-
- Thought it was kind of silly when I learned it and;
2) Needed to practice a lot before I felt even a glimmer of improvement. It goes like this:
Whenever I have a thought that doesn’t serve me, I say (out loud if I’m comfortable but more often in my head), ‘No. Stop. Stop right now’.”
“Thought that doesn’t serve me is a vague term, but I’d guess, like me, you know a few repeating thoughts you have that you’d like to coach yourself out of thinking. For some of us it’s, ‘I’m so stupid’, or ‘I’m so ugly.’ For others it’s, ‘I hate myself’ or ‘I’m jealous of that person.’
For me, it is usually it has to do with food. In the past, I experienced disordered eating and so I taught myself (unknowingly) to think things like, ‘I shouldn’t eat this’ whenever I was about to eat. Over time I realised how detrimental this thinking was, but the realisation wasn’t enough to make the thoughts go away. Eventually I learned it’s not so much about making them go away (we can’t control our thoughts all the time) but instead not letting them spiral. So when I catch myself have a thought like this, I say, No. Stop right now.
It didn’t always work, and it still doesn’t work. It took literally months of practice before I started to know a difference. Months?! you may be thinking. Yes, months. But it’s been worth it.”
Mighty editor-in-chief Megan Griffo
“I know for some of you, the intrusive reports are much more intense. Or maybe you don’t even know which thoughts aren’t serving you. If your thoughts are overwhelming you, this may be a great technique to try, but don’t shy away from seeking professional help, too. These types of tricks can come in handy, but there is absolutely no shame if you need a therapist (I have one!) or medication to help you, too. This is by no means a cure, but it’s something that’s helped me. Maybe it can help you too.”
“What thoughts don’t serve you anymore? What thoughts make you feel bad about yourself or send you on a downward spiral. Starting to recognise these is the first step.
Overthinking, intrusive thoughts, anxiety … none of this stuff is simple. That’s why I included this awesome piece from Thought Catalogue contributor Kirsten Corley, author of ‘But Before You Leave’. And if these thoughts affect your sleeping, I also dropped in a few pieces that may help you and remind you you’re not alone in this.”
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