[To listen to an audio version of this blog post, please click here: http://bit.ly/owningthoughts]

There's an archaic piece of language that I really like (it's in the King James Version of the Good News according to Matthew.) This is not a religious blog though. It's about troubling thoughts, other people's thoughts, and then about how to 'own' good thoughts.

The piece I'm thinking about says, "Therefore take no thought, saying..." Could it be that we only ever really 'own' a thought when we say it out loud? I hope this is true, because, if you are like me, you'll have a lot of troubling thoughts! In fact, my inner chatter is rarely silent.

The idea of never owning a thought until I say it is comforting. Watching television - other people dump thoughts into my mind that I don't want (so I don't watch much television). People say unkind things about other people – and their thoughts enter my mind because I've been listening. I don't want those thoughts either. Social Media is rich with other people's thoughts and opinions that I don't necessarily want to adopt as my own.

So, I'm going to act as if the concept is true. And this leads to an exciting new dimension in what I choose to say out loud.

Inwardly, I am a very critical person and I love a bit of gossip. Gossip rarely makes the other person look good, does it? In fact, we talk about a 'good gossip' but it is rarely good gossip! This is something I'd like to change. I'd like to ONLY say good things about people, and I'd love to stop judging people. This makes sense because I am so rarely right!

Thus, I'm practicing a new regime – to only speak out words I'd be proud to 'own' – words that I'd be happy to see in print as a quote attributed to me. When people talk about me behind my back, I want them to say, "Lex only ever has a good word to say about other people!"

Finally, acting as if this is true would mean that saying our affirmations out loud is the best practice. So, here is one: "Every day, I am becoming better at letting good words come out of my mouth. What I say, makes others feel better about themselves, and more hopeful about their future. My words boost other people's confidence - and make them feel loved and appreciated."

What good affirmations do you say?

Lex

A Moodscope member.

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