Next up on the awareness of thoughts list is one of the culprits that keeps us feeling overwhelmed and stressed in life the most.
Many people feel they are victims to the patterns that keep them feeling overwhelmed, but I’m here to tell you some great news.
You are in control!
You don’t have to stay stuck in these patterns because that is all you know. You can choose to create new patterns, if you want to and this is one of the best areas to start with.
The to-do list …
Yes, that haunting to-do list.
The to-do list technique:
We all have that scary to-do list that haunts us as we are trying to go to bed at night, the one that won’t shut off or leave our mind as we try and rest after a long day.. usually because we just didn’t get enough done or “marked off” for the day.
So next time you find your mind wandering to your lengthy to-do list:
Step 1: Pause in the moment,
Step 2: Tune in to your thoughts about the to-do list,
Step 3: Write down what your internal dialogue is about the to-do list,
Most often those thoughts consist of things like: This to-do list is so long I’m never going to get it done; or there are so many items on this list I feel like I’m drowning in them,
Step 4: How is this showing up in your body?
Often people feel tension in their body, clenching teeth, tight neck, and shoulders.
Where are you feeling the thoughts, you’re having about the to-do list?
These types of thoughts are keeping the body in a stressed and overwhelmed state, which leads to lack of productivity, focus and clarity. Long-term stress leads to disease in the body and a lack of creativity to produce results.