Ever noticed how thinking about the dentist (or other fear inducing experience) is way worse than actually being at the dentist?
What does that tell you about how your thoughts and feelings work on other matters.
Apparently I don’t like needles. At least, that’s what I tell myself.
But any discomfort a needle has caused me has lasted only seconds. But my thoughts about the needle – thoughts about something that is not actually happening – last longer.
Thinking about the needle means I have left the present moment (where the needle is not happening) and gone somewhere else.
In so doing I have created my own suffering.
This is not really about needles and suffering though. We are talking about checking in with where we are with our thinking at any particular moment.
Needles for me could well be something completely different for you.
What “needles” you? Money? Love? Kids? Relationships? Politics?
Are you paying attention to what is really going on? Is the “needle” actually happening right now in the present moment or is it only happening in your thoughts?
What would happen if you dropped that thought?
What would replace the dentist?