Working Out a New Way of Thinking

     Holding on to your old ways of thinking is not always a bad thing to do. My mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Mom is gradually losing her old ways of thinking, which are necessary for her to function in the manner to which she is accustomed. The illness is devastating to the one afflicted, and to those who are caregivers.

      Living your life is simply acting out memories (old ideas, ways of thinking). When you step into the restroom, you know why you are there, what to do, and how to do it. Why? Because you were potty trained! Remember? Now, apply that illustration to everything else you do to function on earth. You get the idea. So, hold on to your old ideas, your old memories, that help create your world "just the way you want it".

     There are times, however, when old ideas and memories need to be "reprocessed". Mitzi and I recently received training in a therapy known as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). The therapy is an excellent tool for the treatment of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and other traumatic memories. Getting past your past can be a difficult road to travel. Memories can "stick you up" and hold you hostage for years. And, sometimes we might be held up by a memory that is suppressed (pushed down into the subconscious) and repressed (forgotten).  

     The brain forgets everything. What is your social security number? Your brain forgot that, but when I asked you for it your brain pulled up that information, and the forgotten memory became conscious. The brain does not wish to keep everything "on the front burner". So, it is possible to forgive and forget because (1) the brain is going to forget whatever it is until you need it (2) if you forgive someone for whatever they did, said, etc. then I don't suppose you will need to bring it up again.

     So, old ways of thinking can be good to hold on to; until they no longer work for you.
Then, you can trade them in (forget them) for thinking that does work for you. Sometimes we need to learn new ways of thinking, and it is not that easy to find a "new way of thinking" teacher. Well, they are everywhere really. I'm talking about one that can help you learn ways of thinking that work for you.