We’re constantly bombarded with thoughts, literally thousands of them every day. Some are helpful, some are neutral, but many are repetitive, critical, or even self-sabotaging. However, most of the time, we don’t even realise what’s playing on repeat in the background of our minds. That’s where awareness comes in, because:
👉 What you’re not aware of, you can’t change!
Developing awareness of your thoughts isn’t about controlling or judging them, but about becoming a curious observer of your own mind. And one of the best tools for developing this awareness is: (surprise!) putting pen to paper.
Why Awareness of Thoughts Matters
As a child, you may have thought it was a good idea to stick your hand in a candle flame, but as an adult, you hopefully know (maybe learned the hard way) that fire equals ‘no touchy’. You don’t have to think about it anymore. Our brains are super efficient; many thought processes are automated, allowing us to make quick decisions in dangerous situations. But automatic thinking isn’t always useful, because our brain jumps to conclusions that aren’t necessarily true or helpful, and often we are so distracted that we barely notice what we’re telling ourselves.
By becoming more aware of your thoughts, you can:
- Catch negative self-talk before it spirals.
- Recognise unhelpful thought patterns.
- Understand how your inner dialogue impacts your mood and decisions.
- Give yourself time to think before you react.
- Reduce rumination and overthinking.
👉 By creating awareness of our thoughts, we can see that they are just thoughts, and not facts. They are not necessarily true just because we think them.
Thoughts create Feelings
What many people don’t realise is that it is not a person or a situation that causes a feeling, but your thoughts about that person or situation.
Here’s an example to illustrate this:
Situation: You wave at a colleague across the street, but they don’t wave back.
Thought option 1: “They’re ignoring me on purpose. They probably don’t like me.” Resulting feeling: Hurt, rejected, sad
Thought option 2: “They must not have seen me. They were probably distracted or in a rush.” Resulting feeling: Neutral, understanding
Thought option 3: “I wonder if something is wrong. Maybe they need some support.” Resulting feeling: Concern, compassion
👉 Same exact situation, but entirely different feelings based solely on your interpretation of it.
Journaling ✍️
Create thought awareness
This is your moment to play detective (I wanted to be a detective as a kid, so maybe it’s just me that gets excited about it).
When you are not in a good mood or experience strong emotions, investigate:
- What feelings do I experience right now?
- What situation preceded my feelings?
- What thoughts do I have about this situation that could have caused my feelings?
For example: you may feel angry, sad or even embarrassed because someone made a comment towards you that you experience as hurtful. What often happens is that we direct our anger toward the other person. ‘They are so mean.’ ‘He should know I don’t like that comment.’ ‘I hate her.’ But it’s good to realise that it’s not the words that hurt, but your thoughts about the comment. So it’s important to figure out what these thoughts are. Which, honestly, isn’t always easy to figure out! (As a next step, you can try to question your thoughts).
👉 Keep in mind: words have no meaning unless you give them meaning.
Final Thoughts 💖
Becoming aware of your thoughts isn’t about controlling or suppressing them, it’s about seeing them clearly. When you know what’s running through your mind, you gain the freedom to respond with intention rather than habit. Journaling is a simple, powerful practice that gives you this clarity.
✨ We can’t control what thoughts pop into our heads, but we can control our reaction to these thoughts.
Disclaimer: The content of this post is for general information purposes only and is not intended (and should not be used as) mental health advice! If you are suffering from mental health related issues, we encourage you to seek a qualified mental health professional. For more information on how to use this website, visit the Terms & Conditions page.
☀️ What do you think about the concepts discussed in this post? I’d love to read your comments!
