Experiencing an overwhelming swell of thoughts and emotions can place an unwelcome burden on even the strongest of shoulders. We all feel it from time to time – maybe you even feel it as you read this. We have these thoughts, emotions, or experiences that sit in our minds as we debate what to do with them.
Unfortunately, letting these fester can compound the overwhelming feelings we have and result in a serious tax on our own mental health. While we don’t have to act on every single thought, feeling, emotion, and experience we have, choosing not to act on the thoughts and feelings in our minds that require attention can have serious consequences.
We pay a price when we don’t “let it all out,” but letting it all out doesn’t mean you have to blurt out all your thoughts at the nearest person. Instead, you can enjoy the benefits of letting it all out by leaning on a dear friend/family member, journaling, or going to therapy.
Face your thoughts
It’s easy to have a thought or feeling and just sit on it. We may not even realize what seemed like a passing feeling has become part of our internal lexicon. We look in the mirror and see something we don’t like and might think that initial reaction was minor and controlled – but then days later we realize we’re afraid to eat or we’re really stressing about working out more than normal.
These negative thoughts can grow out of control quickly and turn into self-hate or even worse. When we take the time to get our thoughts and feelings out, even if it’s just in a personal journal, we’re forced to confront those thoughts. You don’t have to sit there and try to think your way out of the hole. When we journal or when we talk to someone, we’re forced to express and face our thoughts in a more rational way.
Catch yourself in a lie
This brings us to the next and maybe most important point – many of the things we tell ourselves are just outright lies. We may not intend to do it, but we lie to ourselves all the time. Our thoughts are often just creations of our minds, so when you let it all out you can catch yourself in a lie.
Maybe you caught a brief glimpse of something and now think your spouse is cheating. Maybe suddenly, after catching that glimpse, you start to see a couple of other signs like they’re coming home a little late from work or they’re on their phone late at night. Our mind can craft an entire narrative about how it’s not even just possible but now completely obvious that they’re cheating – until we realize it all started with one little glimpse or thought that we never took the time to verify.
When you let it all out you are forced to verify your thoughts. Ask yourself, “Is this real?” and “am I alone in thinking or feeling this way?” It’s possible this is only a reality in your mind and not in the real world.
We can’t let the narrative in our head become our reality if the narrative has turned on us. When you get your thoughts out you’re able to look straight at them and get a better understanding of what’s real and what’s just a creation.
Access other perspectives
When we bring other people, whether it’s a loved one or a therapist, into our lives and share our thoughts we’re welcoming fresh perspectives. These individuals should have your best interests at heart and can help you navigate the tricky hallways of the mind.
This process helps you understand whether there’s an actual benefit to viewing things the way you do. You should quickly get a better understanding of the reality of the world around you and how it impacts your thoughts, especially when you work with a trained and experienced therapist.
If we put our hand in the fire we wouldn’t just leave it there when it starts to hurt – so why would we leave these hurtful thoughts in our mind when they continuously damage our experiences? At Integrated Therapies, we believe in the power of sharing our thoughts and experiences. We want to help you get the most from your own mind. Contact us today and let’s just talk.