What to think when things seem bleak

Made in MidJourney AI.

Untethered Mind, Tuesday Edition, 3-min read.

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Life will never get easy, but we can make it easier by how we think.

How we think affects how we see things. How we see things affects how we feel things. And how we feel affects our sense of agency and ability, regardless of our circumstances.

Much can change through the power of attention placement.

Here’s what to think when things seem bleak:

I can either change the things that bother me, or I cannot. Am I stressing about things I cannot control?

What is in my control that I can take a step towards changing that’s worth doing?

Is there a continual source of worry that I can do something about, and if so, what’s one step I can take today in the right direction?

No one has the power to decrease my self-worth, so stop acting like they can. I am intimately familiar with my immunity from criticism, rejection, and being disliked.

What’s great about my life right now?

Is there a favourite place I can walk to today as a treat and a chance to still my mind?

Is there a lesson I am learning from this? If so, how might I be thankful for this difficulty?

Where have I been winning recently?

Can I talk to someone about this to get it out of my head?

Is there someone I can help today so I feel better and forget myself and my problems for a while?

Am I allowing the media to heighten the perceived threat present in the world, and might it be time to switch it off so I can get back to creating things that bring me to life?

Answers come more easily when I sit and meditate for a few minutes or go for a walk. I don’t need to force solutions through grit or anger.

What are some things I’m excited about right now?

Is this an opportunity for me to become stronger? If so, why might that be?

Can I make peace with the dark aspects of my life for now?

Is there somebody I need to forgive today, and if so, might doing this improve my life?

Have I remembered that I am the only person in the world capable of causing my stress through my thinking?

Most people are hard on themselves because they want the best for themselves and have high standards. Have I been hard on myself recently? If I have, what if I forgave myself so I could move on now without the self-pressure?

Is there something I am learning about myself in these times that inspires me?

What are some ways I’ve been overcomplicating my life, and what’s one thing I can do today to simplify things notably?

Can I practice the art of letting go today?

What if the light was not possible without the dark?

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“You have no idea how your words have helped me move through the most challenging time of my life. Game-changing!“ - Janet Hall

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