A Guide to Managing Your Thoughts and Emotions

50,000–70,000. That’s the number of thoughts you have in a single day. And you don’t have to be an Einstein or a Tesla either—it’s the number of thoughts an average person has in one day. Feelings, one can safely surmise, must be even larger in number and scope. You feel hungry, sleepy, angry, happy, tired, sad, happy, worried, anxious, and so much more.

Naturally, all this mental and sentimental exercise is supposed to get a little taxing.

But here’s the good news: while you can’t control many things in your life—such as the weather or the world order—you can control and manage your thoughts and feelings; and of course, the corresponding behaviors.

And what comes of managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? You achieve your goals, and are successful in your life.

Understanding How the Two are Interdependent

People may have pitted thought and feeling against each other, as if the two were polar opposites, never meant to meet on a single plane. The truth, however, couldn’t be far from it. Thoughts and feelings aren’t just overlapping phenomena; they are connected.

The question of whether you have a thought before you feel or whether you feel something before you feel is like the question of the egg and the hen. It’s a circular debate that we’re not at the moment interested in. We’re just trying to emphasize the importance of managing thoughts and feelings: because it takes only a moment for you to go from thought to feeling—to behavior.

So, How Do You Manage Thoughts and Feelings?

Our approach to controlling thoughts is similar to that of the world’s most famous detective—Sherlock Holmes and his mind palace. Of course, you can’t sit down to categorize the 50,000–70,000 thoughts that you have in a day; neither can you stop your thoughts from surfacing. The nifty things are far too instantaneous and speedy for that.

Here’s what you can do: categorize them, compartmentalize them (build a mind palace!), and then rework them.

Pinpoint the Problem

So, let’s say you’ve been worried about the traffic you’ll find on your way home. It’s a thought that began as a passing, inconsequential worry, and has blown to unprecedented proportions.

You’re now actively concerned about making it home on time and are not looking forward to the commute.

These thoughts will now affect how you feel and have a generally adverse effect on your overall well-being.

Reassess the Problem

Once you’ve acknowledged the thought that’s making you nervous, re-think it—because you can’t un-think it. Why are you having this thought? Why does it matter? Is getting home soon really important? Is someone else’s (such as a colleague’s) worry spilling out onto you?

Reframe

Once you’ve worked that out, take a deep breath. Listen to some soothing, pleasing music. Try and get some fresh air. And now, for the final trick: work out a positive angle of the problem. So what if you’ll be stuck in traffic—you’ll have some time to yourself. You can play your music and have a good time. You can stop somewhere and take a walk until the traffic clears out.

Give a new angle to the problem: the traffic isn’t going to make you late. It’s going to give you some time alone with yourself, for reflection. A quiet life for you—courtesy of the traffic.

Learn More about Managing Thoughts and Emotions

The trick: don’t think nothing negative—and that’s a double negative. If you’re still worried about your mental peace and feel that you can’t do it on your own, get professional help from Rekha Shrivastava in Pittsford, NY. As a certified hypnotist and a rehab counselor, she can help you learn how to manage your emotions better.

Book a Skype consultation with her today.