As humans, we often have negative you are not your thoughts. Some of these thoughts are simple reactions to current events or situations, but others are more complex and longer-sighted. Regardless of their complexity, it’s important to remember that you are not your thoughts. You are a much bigger, more dynamic person than these short-sighted and simple reactions.

Finding Inner Peace: Understanding ‘You Are Not Your Thoughts'”

You can try to separate yourself from your thoughts by noticing them as outside events. The next time you experience a thought that’s unhealthy, pause for a moment and just watch them. It’s like watching a dvd cassette in a player; there’s you, the person who’s experiencing these thoughts and there’s what the thoughts are saying, and they’re two separate things.

Another way to approach this is by identifying the triggers that cause you to have these negative thoughts. Try keeping a diary to identify patterns and then find healthy ways to manage these triggers. For example, if you’re prone to having unhealthy thoughts when driving, try listening to uplifting podcasts about happiness or audiobooks instead.

Another thing to consider is that you have a wide range of internal influences, from hormones and neurotransmitters to your past experiences, and even cultural and upbringing beliefs. So, the opinions other people form about you are based on very limited information and they can’t reach inside your circle of influence to understand the internal drivers behind your external persona.