We live in days where people struggle with their psychological health. This is clearly seen in rising trends of addictions, suicide, OCDs, among others. Perhaps this is the inevitable consequence of industrialization and the fast-paced way of life society has embraced—one that makes us more outward-looking without ever taking time to nourish our own souls.
But whatever the case may be, I believe our struggle often comes from a simple misunderstanding. It lies in how we perceive and relate to our thoughts. A good understanding of the nature of thought gives rise to a healthy psychological experience, which in turn translates into a healthier life.
Before we look at the healthier view of our thoughts, I want us to briefly consider some of the misunderstandings that have resulted in untold psychological suffering for many today.
At the heart of such misunderstanding is the belief that our thoughts mean something about us and should therefore be taken as a reflection of our personality. When we believe this, we begin to exert ourselves trying to control every thought—consciously trying to think “good” thoughts while frantically avoiding the “bad” ones. Anyone who has ever sincerely devoted themselves to this arduous task will tell you how exhausting and unfruitful it is.
And the reason is not that they failed or did something wrong. The fallacy is built into the pursuit itself.
What we give our attention to tends to magnify. So when we desperately try to avoid “bad” thoughts, our attention is still fixed on them. And when attention stays on something long enough, it grows in our awareness. The very thing we are trying to escape becomes the thing we experience more intensely. It becomes a classic illustration of the saying, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
That said, thoughts have little to do with who we are. What air is to the lungs, thoughts are to the brain. Thoughts simply show that the brain is functioning. They are a natural activity of the mind and should not be confused with our identity.
More than our thoughts, we are the ones who experience the rise and fall of thoughts within our consciousness. Thoughts are like scenes appearing on the screen of awareness—much like a television.
In one scene, there might be a terrifying monster. In another, a peaceful landscape. The scenes change constantly, but the screen itself remains untouched.
And that is an important point.
A frightening thought may appear in the mind, full of terror and intensity. But the presence of that thought does not make it true, and it certainly does not make it you. It is simply a passing mental event. Or as Dr. Amy Johnson so beautifully puts it in the title of her book, “It’s Just a Thought.”
At first, this idea might sound dismissive—as though we are minimizing pain or ignoring difficult experiences. But that is not the case at all. Understanding the nature of thought is not about suppressing painful thoughts or pretending they do not exist.
In fact, it is quite the opposite.
It is a gentle recognition that although the experience of a thought can feel incredibly real and powerful, it is still temporary. It rises, lingers for a moment, and then fades—just like every thought that has ever passed through your mind before.
Think about it for a moment. Yesterday your mind produced thousands of thoughts. Some were hopeful, some fearful, some ordinary and forgettable. Yet most of them have already disappeared without you doing anything about them.
That is the natural rhythm of thought.
When we begin to see thoughts in this light, something remarkable happens. The pressure to manage every thought begins to loosen. The need to fight with our own minds slowly fades. Instead of wrestling with thoughts, we start allowing them to pass the way clouds pass through the sky.
And when clouds pass, the sky does not struggle. It simply remains open.
In the same way, when we stop identifying with every thought that appears in our mind, we rediscover a quiet psychological freedom that was always there. Peace was never something we had to manufacture by perfect thinking. It was simply obscured by our misunderstanding of thought.
This understanding does not mean difficult thoughts will never arise again. They will. That is part of being human.
But the difference is that we no longer treat them as verdicts about who we are. We begin to see them for what they truly are—temporary visitors passing through the landscape of the mind.
And perhaps this is one of the most compassionate insights we can offer ourselves and the younger generation growing up in a noisy and demanding world: you are not your thoughts.
You are the awareness in which those thoughts appear.
Once that becomes clear, the mind no longer feels like an enemy to be conquered, but a natural system that moves, settles, and renews itself when we stop interfering with it.
And in that simple understanding lies the beginning of a healthier, freer, and more peaceful life.
With all my love,
Restpirant Jerome
Restpiration 