--->>> OTT --- Old Thought Thoughts! <<<---

[SourceShield]

Greetings!

This post is about LIMITING-BELIEFS, or as me and my brother Matt now call them, Old Thought Thoughts - OTT.

---

This post will most likely not appeal to many people, because I am writing about our beliefs that we have about life and ourselves, that we all have had for much of our life.

Our beliefs are personal, and yet oddly the 'same' as well.

---

There is a school of thought that teaches us that when we identify the OTT i.e. I am unlovable.

Relate to the OTT, rather than from it.

We can then release the attachment to the OTT, as well as the aversion to the OTT.

For example -

A child is told that they are no good, useless and worthless, every other day.

-sadly, this is a story often told, by many.

As this child grows a set of OTT have been programmed into the mind-body of the now grown adult-child.

I am no good.

I am useless.

I am worthless.

etc etc etc

The adult-child now has an attachment to the OTT.

But also you would see an aversion to those OTT as well.

I am no good <- the attachment.

And, I hate that I am no good <- the aversion. The judgement for having the OTT in the first place, keeps us attached to the OTT.

---

Not all beliefs are limiting.

All beliefs are fluid.

They are mutable - liable to change, as all things in existence are!

But...

How do we release the OTT?

Thats what we're most interested in!.

I am going to share a few things of how I am learning to release all of the OTT that once ruled my life, and would love to read yours as well!.

1) Refer to the OTT being in the past. If we keep on affirming the OTT in the present moment, it stays in the present moment. By writing and talking about the OTT being in the past, youre correcting the memory. REWIRE!

2) I AUGMENT positive memories. Whatever they are, whenever they happened. This is why I actively look for things to be thankful and grateful for. Appreciation, heals! And thats now science...if youre interested in the research about this, let me know!

3) I have learned to ask for help, and to RECEIVE it graciously, whenever it comes to me. And, it always does.

4) I SMILE and LAUGH more. Theres research for this too!

5) I have changed my eating habits. I EAT WELL now. I am now on the Guts and Psychology Syndrome foodplan GAPS. I used to be obese. No more.

6) I EXPRESS in healthy ways - dance, music, write..

7) I take time out to LOVE - my family, friends, my dog bundy, nature..

REMEMBERING to LOVE is a biggie!.

And, whatta 'bout you?...

[1113]

Great thread bro,

I can see this evolving with gusto.

Remember to love again...yes....yes ......yes. a biggie alright.

My apathy is now empathy.

The double arrow, attachment and aversion.

I'm only just starting to understand all of this thanks to you. Bro.

I am forgetting to unload new postive thoughts to replace tne old. This I am working on.

I have learnt so much. But i need to be constantly reminded so I don't slip again.

Unconditional friendship

Matt.

[SourceShield]

Thank you, brother.

Unconditional friendship I return to you, in abundance!.

Remembering, is a biggie.

When we're having a 'moment', remembering to 'be' mindful is a joke, for most of us!.

Until our 'practise' of returning to calmness, or whatever that is for you, really 'settles' into the body-mind and becomes an active new thought-process, its really difficult to go all 'buddha', when we're having a 'moment'.

But, thankfully those moments dont stay with us.

All things change.

When life is okay, actively remembering to see, smell, taste, touch, hear life as it is around us, is really vital.

Because as we tune into our 'senses', we do become more mindful and present, and then we are better able to navigate our way through the moments, and eventually the really tough moments too!.

Our senses, are marvelous things.

The 'trick' is to not become addicted to the 'sensory' experience of life.

Thats the challenge, because its the pleasant and good feelings that most of us are hooked on.

But as you now know, that which we call feelings on the outside, are chemical reactions going off all over the body-mind.

The brain.

Nervous system.

Enteric Nervous system.

Endocrine system.

All systems are go!.

We can affect the way that these systems process the chemicals that are produced in the body-mind, by the way that we live our day to day life.

i.e.

Remembering to smile daily. If you smile often, you end up rewiring your brain to make more positive patterns more often than it does negative <- SNORT!.

Happiness is a work ethic, like being a Chef, it’s something that requires our brains to train just like an athlete has to train.

So, as we actively and consciously practise the happiness work-ethic, we reprogram.

Dig it?.

This of course must be 'practised' often when we arent stressed or anxious, and then hopefully, all going well...the practise has sunk in, so that when we need it, when things are stressful, the practise has been programmed in and is no longer 'practise' but an assimilated part of our everyday life.

Remember that relapse is real as well.

Remember to take time out to recharge the 'batteries', however that looks like for you.

We are perfectly imperfect beings on an energetic journey through space-time reality.

You're doing really well, Matt.

I already 'see' a change - No longer, just a number.

I know youre releasing the agoraphobic OTT, keep going bro!

You are much appreciated and loved, my brother.

PeaceOutSprout!.

[1113]

Thankyou my friend

You have found your essences and helping me find mine.

Much brotherly love

Matt

[1113]

OTT,

I am not good enough to reach out and help others!

How could I be, I have a mental illness.

Double arrow.

New postive thoughts

I can help others

Because I have experience, heart and I'm a good and loving person.

Bro,

Whenever I have a replacement thought .....I will just post it here!!!!!!

Nice one boy

Chef out

[Kazzl]

Oooooohhhh! You've cooked up another excellent thread my cheffy friends!

I am trying to work on my brain - in a neuroplasticity kinda way. Trying to override annoyingly persistant thoughts about the past, shameful memories, weird beliefs etc. So I will sit over here and watch and learn.

One thing though - well two actually. Firstly, now that I don't just accept that beliefs of old (eg I'm not worthy of love) are true, I find that when they pop up I can't always just override them because I get stuck trying to analyse and work out where they came from in the first place. Why do I think the things I think?

Secondly, Kaitoa you mention 'it's the pleasant and good feelings that most of us are hooked on'. I'm not certain about that ... I think sometimes depression can be seductive, I guess because it's a familiar place for many of us. Do you know that song 'Somebody that I used to know'? There's a line in it 'You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness ...' I reckon so, which is also why I'm keen to learn more about influencing the brain itself.

Anyways, love your work you two ... I'm taking notes. 😊

Kaz

xx

[Doolhof]

Hi All,

There some excellent suggestions here about thoughts. It is amazing how powerful thoughts can be, for the negative or the positive.

Like Kazzl wrote, I'm learning from you guys as well. Thanks for sharing!

My brain feels a bit too whacked at the moment to add my own ideas on thoughts.

Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools

[White_Rose]

Hello Kaitoa

Great job you're doing here. I have been interested in neuroplasticity for quite some time. It is amazing how our brains operate. Let me give you an example. I have always wanted to play the piano. I mentioned this to someone one day and he said I was too old, that we stopped learning new things by the time we are 30 (I think 30). I was so surprised this attitude still existed. No point in arguing, just get on with it. I suspect that one reason for the belief that learning is age limited is that as we get older we do many more things than we did as children and far more responsibilities. Our attention is pulled in so many directions that spending the requisite time practising a new skill is a difficult business and we are usually short on time management skills.

We are taught that caring for ourselves in ways such as carrying out pleasurable activities is wrong unless we have finished our quota of helping others. And that can go on for ever. So sitting down to piano practice comes at the expense of housework, gardening (although this is also pleasurable), shopping, being on committees, even talking with our families, you know the general busyness that often swamps our lives. Mindfulness and meditation are two activities that go hand in hand. They also help to slow us down and find our inner being, which all leads to choosing a balanced life including those activities that grow the soul. You know, the old Mary and Martha conundrum. And yes, I am learning to play the piano.

Of course this applies to anything we do. Enjoying the pleasantness of life does not preclude some painful and difficult times. I find that working through hard times highlights the good stuff. We are never going to be completely free from disasters of any colour or size. That's life. Many of humanities greatest events have come because of suffering in some way. Think of poets, writers, composers and artists. And also of great scientists and knowledge in all the fields.

So lets grab the opportunity of learning as well as the less tangible (at least to start with) skills of mindfulness and meditation. Learning to centre oneself in a crisis comes with practice as does learning to love ourselves despite all our faults.

This has the potential to be a very interesting thread. I hope more folk join in the discussion.

Mary

[Kazzl]

Excellent post Mary!

I really have to give this mindfullness and meditation thing another go. My brain is often so busy I can't slow it down to focus on meditating and I just get frustrated and cranky when I try.

Any suggestions on good books, websites etc?

Kaz

[1113]

Hello all,

Right now I should be "living in the real world". Doing my HWJT. But instead I'm drawn to this forum. Oh well, I have plenty of time.

Kazz,

Your first post is all your OTT. You are not "just sitting and watching" You are challenging a thought.

I am trying to understand this myself, I am afraid that what I say is wrong - OTT

It doesn't matter what I say because I am valid and my beliefs are real and I am happy to be learning too. Now I am smiling, breathing and calming myself.

I do want to discuss agrophobia:

Kaitoa said in a post that he knows I am changing my OTT about that...and I purposely side stepped that question. Why?

Its extremely hard for me to accept.

But I have been doing all the things that kaitoa the warrior has been teaching me and now I can cope a bit better. Every day it gets better.

So its all related to some extent and we have to try and understand it how we, as " an individual can".

that all looks different to everybody

How I see OTT is different from others

I'm not afraid to be wrong. Thats a huge one for me too.

I don't like to be wrong.

Oh...... I side stepped agrophobia again.

Anyway i must get back to my daily duties.

Happiness to all

Chef Matt.