“Often times the most excruciating battles we face are within our own minds; fought by the bravest of knights, won by true warriors.”  A client recently shared this quote with me post therapy.  The individual gave me permission to share it.  

I found this to be a powerful observation of oneself; one that if you can get a grasp of, can make meaningful shifts in your life. Sometimes we develop life stories or interpretations, if you will, that are limiting or self-destructive.  These thoughts can be at the root of mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression.  They can also work against you in conjunction with chemicals in your brain, such as with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  Most likely though, these thoughts can keep you from living your fullest life, leaving you in a comfort zone of just existing.  

Recognizing negative thoughts can expose personal fears that get in the way of connecting with others and living authentically.  Sound scary?  Consider the alternative.  We are the ones who often create suffering in our own mind.  Think about the impact that has on our mood and emotions.

There are many therapeutic interventions to begin to identify these thoughts and teach you how to change them, cognitive-behavioral therapy, insight-oriented therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and narrative therapy to name a few.  There are plenty of self-help opportunities out in the world as well.

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”  Shakespeare in Hamlet

On Mindfulness: “In other words, practiced with open eyes, anything that gets us to slow down and awake more fully to our interior lives should be a good thing.”- Adam Frank, Author