Thinking is a lot of work. To think a thought through, from beginning to end, takes focused concentration, endurance, the ability to listen while at the same time, resisting the thoughts that distract us. 

Thinking our thoughts through, as much as we can with the information we have at the time, builds an organized pattern into our thinking and ultimately, a more efficient way of living our lives.

Take a Moment

We all lead different kinds of lives, some more involved than others. Yet, we all possess the ability to add or subtract commitments, obligations and responsibilities in life. 

To keep life somewhat simple and under control and our minds running without stalling or perseverating on “worries or what ifs”,  begins with a clear understanding of our values, aspirations, intentions and ambitions.

Taking the time to ask ourselves questions on a daily basis allows us to know what exactly we are up to. It does not need to be an up to the minute analyst report like a sports commentator, but tapping into motivates our actions is a good indicator of what we are thinking.  

Though it is humorous to watch a dog chasing its own tail, it’s not fun when we find ourselves doing the same thing. When we take a moment to check in with ourselves, we might find we are going in the intended direction and stay on course, or we might find we need to alter our path a bit.

Building routines into our lives that give us the opportunity to evaluate our values, aspirations, intentions and ambitions is not difficult, especially if we want to live our lives as well as we can. 

Spending a little time each day by myself, checking in with myself became a routine I stumbled onto years ago. 

When my sons were toddlers, my days were filled with taking care of their needs, while mine went by the wayside. I discovered that if I got out of bed an hour before they did, I had the luxury of drinking a cup of coffee and being alone. Being alone allowed my body, mind and soul to catch up with each other and I found I could actually think in complete thoughts.

 Why bother thinking about our thinking? Since our thoughts drive our actions, we don’t want to find ourselves wondering, “Now where am I and how did I get here?”