When your mind plays tricks on you

Have you ever had the sense that you were lying to yourself about something? That you were running an old habit, and even though it didn't seem true anymore, you find yourself thinking thoughts that once used to disable you? You say to yourself, "Wait, I thought I changed that. It's not true....but maybe it still is?"

It's not. Your mind is playing a trick on you.

Our hearts, and our bodies, know the truth of a situation. And in some ways, they are light years ahead of our minds. Check in with them before you start to believe what your mind is telling you to be true. Your intuition speaks loud and clear through your heart and body. It's up to us whether we choose to listen.

Tricky mind thoughts (also known as lies):

Incomplete "I went to the, well first, and then, wait, what was I talking about?"

Choice-less "I don't want to be in this job anymore, but I have to stay, there's nothing else out there."

Contradictory "I have hope, but I still think it's all going to fail."

Can you see how thinking this way would interrupt the happiness flow? Now, if you've read any of the posts in the Redefining Happiness series, you know that I'm on a quest to create a new understanding of what it means to be truly happy. I believe that happiness is more about inner peace than being swayed by trickster thoughts. Agree?

Your mind, like your fear, is an ally and teacher. Use it as such. Its goal is to bring attention to the dark places within you so you can then bring light to them. As you do so, you help your mind realize that it is safe and no longer needs to use lies or tricky thoughts to keep you closed off from the world.

Ready to remedy the tricky mind?

Here's one of the easiest and most obvious ways to do so - Call it out. State exactly what it's doing (hint: it's close to the title of this post), "My mind is playing tricks on me." It's a huge relief to hear the truth, like you can finally take a deep breath. Sometimes we mistakenly think that it's complicated to change ourselves. Also not true. Just a little shift, like the statement above, makes a big difference. Use it every time you spot a lie.

We are moving into a time where the shadow (the parts of ourselves we try to suppress) is being called forth to be integrated into the whole of who we are. Or in more elementary terms - where we can just be ourselves in the world, without the masks. We all want to be accepted for who we truly are. That process starts with doing it for ourselves, in the simplest of ways. It is the gateway to lasting happiness, change that sticks, and living a life that feels right to you.

Where in your life is your mind playing tricks on you? Call it out and liberate yourself by telling the truth.