Dear Avery,
Your cousin, Ryder, is wise beyond his years. At 2 years old, he started reading small words. Then at 3 he started reading road signs, song titles, and car logos. Now at 4, he understands that he is not his thoughts. He has already recognized that he is not his thoughts! Let me tell you… I didn’t realize this or even comprehend this until my 30’s when I started to do the DEEP work on myself. Wow.
“But my brain tells me something different than my heart.”
This is something I want to stick in your mind, too. Plant it there. Your brain does tell you something different than your heart. Your gut may even tell you something different than your heart and your brain. The trick is to notice that they are different. One is (mostly) logical, one is emotion, and one is intuition. You are made up of all of it, but not just one aspect.
Real life example of internal dialogue: Choosing to leave your job.
Logical brain: Don’t do it! It pays you well! It’s comfortable! You don’t have a backup!
Emotional heart: You love your people. How will they feel? How will you feel? Will you regret it? Will you be happier?
Intuition gut: Growth is somewhere beyond. You need more.
When you get conflicted thoughts such as these around the same topic or problem, it’s important to sit with all three sides. And realize you are beyond these thoughts. You are greater than the sum of all thoughts. Thoughts and feelings often feel at odds with each other leading us to feel internal conflict.
Here is a quick exercise I like to do for my own self:
Close your eyes. Imagine you are sitting on a high hill overlooking a busy bridge with fast cars racing by. (Since I’m from San Francisco, I picture the Golden Gate Bridge!). Take a deep breath in. Notice the cars. Some are fast. Some are slow. Some are cutting others off. Some are driving safely. These represent all your thoughts and feelings. You are the observer. Simply watching them drive by. They come onto the bridge and then they exit. More will flood in. All will exit. You are just the observer. This will begin teaching you that you are not your thoughts. Your thoughts are just cars — driving quickly through your brain — keep them moving. Acknowledging their presence and their purpose, but ultimately understanding they will pass. Take yourself out of the moment and understand you are greater than each car, even greater than the bridge itself!
Sit there and meditate on that quick instance. As my wise son has acknowledged so perfectly: my brain is telling me something different than my heart. Yes it does and it often will. We have the power to see the differences and find the right way forward.
May you take the time and see the great power you have over your mind.
With love,
Aunt Megs
With Love, Aunt Megs 