Seven Important Questions!

Hello

I woke up today feeling happy, I dreamed a few different dreams last night and almost all had as a theme CHOOSING GOOD FEELING THOUGHTS. I found this very exciting, because to me to dream about something means it must have made its way into my subconscious! This feels like a real achievement.

In the past I have made various resolutions to change my way of being, but there have often been occasions when the resolution has been put aside or simply forgotten. I have been thinking about thoughts (yes really!). I have been thinking about simple ways of noticing my own thoughts and whether I should be thinking them. A couple of nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night and heard these words:

 "There are Seven Important Questions to be asked whenever you entertain a thought."

This seemed inspired, and very interesting to me and in that moment I made a quick decision; I decided to go back to sleep! Why did I choose that? The last time I had a Really Good Idea it was in the middle of the night, and it was such a great idea that I couldn't let it lie, I lay awake for several hours thinking about my idea and all the wonderful intricacies to the nth degree! In short I missed a lot of sleep because I allowed my mind free rein, and it accordingly rampaged around until I was exhausted and the effort required to quieten it down was quite substantial. It's not just bad feeling thoughts that can get out of control for me!! Thankfully I was still so excited about my idea the next day that I managed the resulting tiredness with a smile.

I was happy with my choice to go straight back to sleep, and became even more so when I sat down to write today; the Seven Important Questions (SIQ - LOL!) arrived in my mind like a V-formation of swans. So here they are:

1. Is the thought about me or someone else?
If the thoughts is directly referring to a being, myself or someone else i.e. it's personal, then go to question 6. however, if its non-personal and its about me go to question 2.
2. Is the thought historical?
In other words am I looking backwards to past events or conversations, I can't change the past there is nothing to be gained here, so I can think about something else, or I if I'm still unsure I can go to question 7. If the answer is no try question 3.
3. Is the thought about a problem?
If the answer is yes...
4. Does the problem have a solution?
If the answer is yes, I can stop thinking about it now, if the answer is no I can ask myself the next question...
5. Is this an appropriate time to think about a problem?
I used to get drawn away from the present an awful lot, and my children would say "mum you've got that weird look on your face again", and they usually had to say it several times to bring me back to the present. Also if there is no solution to this problem then thinking about it is really daft! and will probably stress me out, so I can think about something nice instead.
6. Is this thought about me or someone else, something I would comfortably say to my best friend who I love very much and would never want to hurt?
If my thought is critical, unkind, rude, mean, spiteful, jokey in a derogatory way, an assumption, or just plain nosey (and I'm sure there are far too many wrong ways of thinking of myself or others to list here) then I should definitely think about something else and if I'm still not sure I can go to question 7.
7. How does the thought make me feel????
I could probably dispense with all the other questions really and just ask this one, because if the thought doesn't feel good or better than good; if it doesn't feel great then I'm clearly choosing the wrong thoughts!!!

Perhaps I'm being silly, I have overthunk the whole thing with my SEVEN IMPORTANT QUESTIONS and my SIQ acronym, but really that's just one of those tricksy thoughts I have generated to bamboozle me! It's staying on top of the thoughts that counts, CHOOSING GOOD FEELING THOUGHTS as often as possible, and being ALERT. Be ready for your thoughts, cut them off at the pass, drop an avalanche of great feeling thoughts on them, or as my friend told me nearly eight weeks ago "you must be watchful, ready to pounce, like a tiger". This is self-mastery, it takes work and dedication.


Today, I am Thankful for my bow and arrows
I am Thankful for how incredibly beautiful the stars in their multitudes are on a cold clear night
I am Thankful for my baby's first sign for milk
I am Thankful for little fluffy clouds in the cold blue sky
I am Thankful for my dinner
I am Thankful for my progress
I am Thankful for my small successes
I am Thankful for big lego
I am Thankful for rainbows
I am Thankful for the insights and inspirations which come at night when the world is sleeping.


love Klara.