Don’t let yourself get stuck in stinking thinking! One of the most magnificent abilities of the brain is to produce thought. But, what about when thoughts are not serving you? So much can be created, adapted, and reformed through the thought process.

On the flip side, thinking can also hinder living in wellness. Repetitive thoughts become distracting, thoughts of worry steal joy, paralyzing fear prevents experience, future thinking stops action, thought switching contributes to forgetfulness, and so on.

For individuals with ADHD, thinking can be something that feels like it is running amuck and uncontrollable. Thoughts come from every which way at lightning speed, all at one time or none at all. Learning to pause in the moment and to shift attention to the present moment can help direct thought where it serves you better.

Thinking is powerful. What you think about is where your mind goes. The first step to monitoring your thoughts is to capture what you are thinking about and then to think again. If the world is the worst, think again. If your boss hates you, think again. If your spouse frustrates you, think again. If your kid is out of control, think again.

Each of these situations is caught in a thought loop. Thinking can be reflexive and automatic, or it can be something you “give” further thought to. Not all thoughts are accurate. In fact, asking yourself, “Is this true?” and then asking, “Is this really true?” might access more possibilities than your original thought was leading you to believe.

The power of the pause is to stop and notice a sense within your body. Do you smell a scent, hear a sound in the furthest distance, see a color or shape, or feel a sensation? Getting into presence shifts the activity in your brain to the Prefrontal Cortex. This is where executive function lives. You are able to use reason when you are able to tap into executive function capabilities. Reasoning is what helps us think and think again.

You can strengthen your mental wellness by choosing to monitor your thoughts and think again. Get curious. Your mental wellness is for your making in the practices you create to live well. Thinking is one of the most powerful processes of the human brain. How can you be more present with where your thoughts are taking you?

If you are struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional. Your mental wellness matters.