Select your thoughts like you select your clothes everyday

Yes, it’s that simple.  

There are certain things we are taught starting from a young age, and getting dressed is one of them. A necessity you might say. After all nobody leaves the house without getting dressed.

We do it taking into consideration, where we are going, the weather, and even with whom we will be. So much thought and consideration go into what to put on.

This level of diligence is refined as we mature, as we observe each other, and ourselves but perhaps more so as we better understand who we choose to be and how we want to be seen.

A selection process that is innate for the outside world

Whilst there is a great deal of thought that we are taught to consider when putting on “appearances”, I pause to acknowledge that we are directed to look outward from the beginning of time without realising that is what we are doing. This is reflective of us as parents over generations – it is the way of life for humanity.

We often talk about social media being the greatest influence on our younger generation, and whilst there is some truth in this, the underlying message is that social media may have intensified the desire to look at someone else and compare ourselves, but that thought process has been embedded in everything we have done since we were born.

Our appearance matters to us as people so much so that it brings us a sense of connectedness, if you like what someone is wearing, you relate to them – you connect to them. We do this instinctively, we do it without consideration – it is a learned behaviour.

What would happen if we applied the same impact internally?

If we considered language in the same way as we do clothing, what impact would that have on humanity? What would it do for us as individuals and in the way we connected, engaged, we presented ourselves?

Our thoughts have the greatest impact on us. It can have the ability to impact our behaviours, our actions, and our outcomes. It can also have the ability to influence others. Our power to shape the future is so significant in everything including survival, yet there is little to no emphasis on this, especially when we look at how much is placed on how we dress.

Awareness now has been shared and your thoughts are consciously yours

Thoughts drive both action and inaction, it holds the universal power for everything we do but we have subconsciously been led to give priority to what we wear and how we look over;  of which neither can or does impact personal decisions or global decisions to progress or save society.

As you begin your day considering what items to wear, pause a moment to also include your thoughts so that you become aware of the choices you want to make for the day.

Your thoughts become your spoken words, your actions and your outcomes and if you intentional set out to create your path it will be what directs your day.

This deliberate plan is like dressing your inner self and over time you will have refined it just as you have with your clothes. Knowing what you need to wear as you step outside into warm weather, rain, cold and even a formal occasion. Your thoughts will steer you, protect you and enable you to achieve all that you desire but first, you will be the way you manage your thoughts. You apply the same diligence and consideration as that which you have given innately to what you clothing.

The practice of layering clothes to allow for changing weather conditions is also relevant to our thoughts. I see this as the patterns and behaviours applied when we become antifragile.  Antifragility enables us to pause, reflect, learn and strengthen from what we have experienced and begin to ask “what else?” will I need as things change?

Thoughts aligned this way prompt us to ask not only what we want to do today but to ask what else we may need to consider so that we minimise risk and plan for the future, therefore we begin to plan so that we respond should any given situation change.

Inactions are like being naked

As much as our bare skin is natural, it is not how we want to be seen. We use clothing just as much to protect ourselves from the weather as we do to for our appearance. This same logic applies to our thoughts.

We all have the ability to choose our thoughts, and when we do it willingly from the moment we wake up, we set our intentions for the day - we plan ahead in order to achieve our outcomes.  

Yes, it is that simple.

With each thought we manifest, we navigate the outcome we desire. We share it, we refine it and then we bring it to life, but most importantly we show others how they can do it too.

Be the person who you choose to be by selecting your thoughts the way you select your clothes and watch the changes that will happen in your life, more important watch the ripple effect you will create.