Summary: Once you discover the powerful connection between your thoughts and feelings, you’ll initially enjoy a tremendous feeling of capability, “Amazing. I never have to feel bad again!” Sound good? Hang on. It’s exactly at this point you need to keep an eye out for your perfectionist tendencies. If you’re like many of us, you’ll find yourself wanting to do this awareness work “correctly”. You’ll start to believe there are “right” thoughts (ones that make you feel good) and “wrong” thoughts (ones that make you feel bad). Don’t use this powerful awareness tool as a weapon you point at yourself. Don’t engage in “thought shaming” where you scold yourself for not thinking more intentionally. Listen to this episode to discover how thought shaming occurs and how to use self compassion to pivot out of it. Make “thought work” a tool you use to build greater awareness and understanding of yourself, and not as yet another thing you tell yourself you need to do well.
