| Remember the little poem about the man who | | | | demonstrates how malleable our minds really are. |
| wasn't there? | | | | Another tool you can use to shift your thinking is |
| As I was walking up the stair | | | | something I call vocalizing, and it's easy. Here's |
| I met a man who wasn't there. | | | | how to use vocalizing to shift anxious thinking: |
| He wasn't there again today | | | | |
| I wish, I wish he'd go away. | | | | 1. Select a passage from a favorite book, a |
| -- William Hughes Mearns | | | | longish poem, or a song that will take about five |
| What a wonderful description of anxious thinking. | | | | minutes to say or sing aloud. Some people find |
| An anxious thought is something we make up. It | | | | spiritual texts work well. I like to use poetry or |
| isn't even real! Yet over and over again we give | | | | sing. Whatever works, works. Find something that |
| power to it, so it intensifies and grows until it | | | | comforts you. |
| becomes the Boogeyman. | | | | 2. Read the passage or poem aloud, or begin |
| Anxious thoughts grow because we feed them | | | | singing. Start softly, adding inflection as you go. |
| by nourishing them with our attention. | | | | 3. Speak or sing for five minutes. Feel your voice |
| The strangest thing about anxious thoughts is | | | | resonating in your chest. Be conscious of each |
| how real they seem. Yet all we need do is point | | | | breath you take. Speak or sing clearly so the |
| our minds at something else, and within five | | | | words com through loud and clear. |
| minutes the anxious thoughts vanish entirely. | | | | 4. After five minutes have passed, be quiet for a |
| How can we get into the habit of shifting our | | | | moment. Smile intentionally. Repeat as needed. |
| thoughts when the man (or woman) who isn't | | | | Why does vocalizing work? What seems to |
| there comes calling? It's simple. And with a bit of | | | | happen is simply a shift of consciousness from |
| practice, you can shift your thinking as easily as | | | | one thinking pattern to another. Speaking aloud |
| you're reading these words right now. | | | | engages your body and sense of hearing. The |
| First things first: Trying not to think a thought only | | | | process distracts your mind and literally creates |
| gives that thought more energy. You can't get rid | | | | new thoughts |
| of a thought by telling it to go away. No, you | | | | Experiment with active ways of moving your |
| must train your mind to focus on another thought | | | | thoughts around this weekend. Should you find |
| or idea. | | | | yourself thinking anxious thoughts, try the |
| One of the best tools I've used to help me shift | | | | vocalizing method to retrain your mind into |
| my thinking is Byron Katie's The Work. It's a | | | | thinking other, positive thoughts. |
| great way to turn an anxious thought around into | | | | You are the driver of the train that is your mind. |
| its opposite -- a sort of mental akido. That we | | | | Take it where you want it to go. |
| can play with our thinking in such a way | | | | |