Thoughts, Feelings, and Who’s running the show

AHA'S AND ACTION:

Here are 2 thoughts, 2 inspirations, and 1 question for you to reflect on this week…

2 THOUGHTS FROM ME

1. There was a time when I believed my feelings were telling me the truth. If I felt anxious, I thought something had to be wrong. If I felt hurt, I assumed someone else had caused it. But what I’ve come to see is that feelings are just signals—they’re the echo of whatever thought is passing through in that moment.

These days, I play a little game with myself. When I’m feeling good, I check in with my mind—and there’s usually not much going on. I’m just in the moment, doing the thing, having the conversation, being present with whoever’s in front of me.

But when I notice my mood drop, I look at what’s on my mind—and it’s usually pretty funny. Some wild, dramatic, or totally unnecessary thought is spinning up a storm. And more often than not, I catch myself and laugh. Because I’m the one creating the feeling.

2. I still feel things deeply—frustration, joy, sadness, love. But instead of trying to fix the feeling, I check in with the thought behind it. Because thought is what’s running the show. The good news? Thoughts shift. And when they do, so do the feelings.

2 INSPIRATIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE

1. “Our feelings are always a reflection of our thinking in the moment—not our circumstances.” by Michael Neill.

2. Research from the American Psychological Association confirms that emotions are constructed from our interpretation of internal and external cues—meaning our thoughts shape how we feel, not the other way around.

1 QUESTION FOR YOU

1. What feeling has been steering the way you show up lately—and if you slow down, what thought might be sitting underneath it?

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