The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
William James Take a moment to let these words settle in your mind.
Allow them to resonate within you as you find a comfortable position and begin to relax.
If it feels good to do so,
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Inhaling peace and exhaling tension.
Welcome to this series of meditation tracks.
In this series of tracks and the accompanying course,
I aim to talk about stress in a different way and create space for insight and reflection for you so that you can see stress in a different light.
In today's track,
I invite you to consider what does this quote mean to you?
The greatest weapon against our stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
How does the quote resonate with your current state of mind and your experiences?
I invite you to reflect on the idea of choice and the power it holds over your stress levels.
Notice any initial thoughts or feelings that arise as you consider this concept.
How do you feel right now?
Are there areas in your life where stress seems overwhelming?
Allow yourself to fully experience these emotions without judgment.
Simply acknowledge their presence.
Where in your life is this quote true?
Can you recall moments where you consciously chose a thought that led to a calmer state of mind?
Reflect on these instances,
However small they might be,
And recognize the power that you hold in shaping your mental landscape.
What resistance do you feel towards this idea?
Are there doubts or fears that arise when you think about choosing your thoughts?
Acknowledge any inner conflicts or skepticism without pushing them away.
It's natural to have resistance,
And if you fight the resistance,
You just get more resistance.
If it pleases you,
Take a moment to journal about these reflections.
Writing can be a powerful tool to clearing your mind and allowing the space for fresh insights.
I'll give you some time to sit with these questions and journal if you wish,
Or simply relax and listen to the music for a short while.
If you need more time,
Press pause on the app and come back when you're ready.
I'd love to share a personal story to illustrate how this quote plays out in the real world.
During the COVID lockdown,
I created a virtual running group to start running and keep connected with the people that I couldn't see.
We all decided to do the Couch to 5K program,
Which is where you go from not running at all,
Like me,
For many years and perhaps even forever,
To actually running a 5K non-stop run.
It was a scary but exciting prospect to me to start running in my 50s with my particular physique.
And it did seem a little ambitious,
But I was willing to give it a go.
I ran three times a week,
Exhilarated by my progress and the companionship of the virtual group.
Each run pushed me a little further,
Stretching my abilities and demonstrating that I could do way more than I imagined.
On about week four,
The program moved up a notch and I found myself having to run more than I'd ever done before.
I was aching and struggling.
My mind kept telling me that I was too old,
Too fat,
Had too many issues with my knees.
My legs went slower.
I felt defeated.
I just knew I couldn't do it.
I wanted to cry.
I was about to give up and walk home when a completely new thought popped into my head.
It said,
You've been through worse than this.
You can do hard.
Without realising,
My little legs got a bit faster and I started to think about all the times in my life when I'd been resilient and done hard.
I felt inspired and motivated.
Of course,
My physical symptoms were still there,
But they didn't bother me so much and I wanted to carry on.
I knew I could do it.
Instead of being overwhelmed by the task in front of me,
I felt like I could conquer the world.
All because in one simple moment,
I chose to follow a new thought of resilience instead of dwelling in my old thought of defeat.
Now take a moment to reflect on this story.
Does it change how you view the crows?
Do you see new possibilities in the power of choosing your thoughts?
This is not about positive thinking.
It's just about realising how many thoughts we can have and how we have a choice to choose which one we dwell on.
Reflect on whether this perspective feels more attainable or realistic right now.
I'll give you a moment to sit with these reflections and explore any new insights.
If you want to go deeper and explore more ways of managing stress from the inside out way of thinking.
Consider taking a look at my profile for the playlist Stress Relief.
There are more tracks for you to enjoy and a course from stress to calm for busy people if you'd like to immerse yourself.
The course is designed to provide practical tools and insights to help you navigate your busy life with more ease and grace.
Thank you for joining me in this meditation.
May you find the strength and tranquility in the power of your thoughts.
Lots of love.
