You may have learned that thoughts are generated from your brain.  This is not technically accurate.  Your brain works more like a transmitter and receiver, conveying random thoughts from the subconscious mind, the collective consciousness we call Mind or Source, or whatever you like to call the Universal Intelligence that is behind everything.

In pondering this, I devised a model of three types of thoughts.  Understanding the principle of thought will help you to discern what thoughts to pay attention to and which thoughts to disregard.   You cannot control our thoughts for the most part, however you can decide which ones to act on.

Type 1 – Factual Thoughts

These thoughts arise from events that actually happened.   You were let go from your job, you sold your home, you had lunch with a friend.   A ‘fly on the wall’ could be a witness to the event and confirm that it happened, full stop.

Type 2 – Fictional Thoughts

These thoughts can appear randomly or may arrive from our “thinking” about factual events.  Because we have a natural negative bias (apparently for our survival sake), our fictional thoughts tend to reflect this bias.   For example:   You were let go from your job can morph into your ‘story’ about the event. “It’s not fair, it should not have happened, maybe I am not good enough, I’ll never get another job in this economy”.

These thoughts are influenced by our insecurities, limiting beliefs, conditioning and erroneous assumptions and can represent conjecture and projection (thoughts about what others think).

You can often tell when you have moved from factual thoughts to fictional thinking by how you feel.  For example.   “He was late for our date” becomes “he doesn’t think I am important” or “he does not care about my feelings”.  You can usually notice the difference in your emotional energy (or feelings) when you switch from factual to fictional thoughts.

We can have positive and uplifting fictional thoughts too. Imagining a positive outcome, day dreaming about a pleasant situation.  Just know that all thoughts and feelings are temporary so enjoy the uplift.

Type 3 – Free Unfettered Thoughts

These are thoughts that can pop out when we let our minds be quiet, slow down our thinking, relax our bodies, take deep breaths, let go of attempting to figure something out.  These thoughts are unencumbered by our past experiences and conditioning.

These thoughts include insight, intuition, light-bulb moments, ah ha’s, leaps of understanding, paradigm shifts.   These thoughts also come from that vast realm of universal intelligence.  The more we surrender to this innate wisdom that we all have, the more calm, trusting, relaxed and confident we feel.

It takes a little practice to discern what thoughts you are entertaining.   The better you feel, the more you know you are responding to your life-affirming Type 2 and free unfettered Type 3 thoughts.