THOUGHT DISTILLATION

DISTILLATION OF OUR THOUGHTS

Thought distillation is when we distill our thoughts into specific components while identifying the underlying qualities. It can help identify where we are in the emotional cycle based on states of having, making it easier to identify the emotion being expressed. A prevailing thought is the core thought from which what we think, feel, and wonder emanate. What we say and how we behave are expressions of our prevailing thought and help us understand where we are within ourselves.

THOUGHT REFINEMENT

WHERE DO THOUGHTS COME FROM?

A thought is a statement about self. Thoughts begin with the word "I".

If I asked you where do the thoughts you have about yourself and the world around you come from, most would agree that in some way their thoughts come from their experiences. For some, this experience is based in religion or from a caregiver, and for many of us, it is from the events we have experienced.

So thoughts come from our experiences. They are a reflection of self, that becomes our expression. I like to remember that thoughts tend to come in

States of having:

I have
I want to have.
I need to have
I have had

We need to want in order to have.

How to describe a thought?

Thought distillation - how we distill our thoughts into specific components and qualities with the goal of being able to identify the underlying emotional element.

A Thought forms the backdrop of our experience. Thoughts are in the moment, statements we make about ourselves.

THREE COMPONENTS and THREE QUALITIES

A prevailing thought is the I am statement you are making.

A prevailing thought can be further distilled into three components:

What you are thinking about - what you are doing

What you are wondering about - where you are going

What you are feeling about your thought - what a thought becomes

The prevailing thought: "I am open". (I value openness)
Thinking is what you do with a thought - " I am thinking about what I have done..."
Wonder is a place you go, where you go with a thought: "I wonder what I can become..."
Feelings are what a thought becomes, feelings connect thought with emotions. "I feel curious"

All creation begins with a thought, sparked by discovery and fueled by wonder.

A thought can be described using three qualities:

This helps us identify where are in the emotional cycle.

Directional thoughts lead us to states of having: I want money (the future we want), I have had enough (the past we have had), I need control (the past we need), I have respect (the present we have).

Negating thoughts lead us to disconnecting emotions: I can’t do this, I don’t care, I won’t do that.

Positive thoughts move us toward connecting emotions: I can try, I do care I will be open.

The most true, or accurate of thoughts align with our values.

THOUGHTS FROM THINKING

Thoughts are statements; thinking is a process.

There is what we are thinking about, and then there is the thought we have about ourselves.

Start with what you are thinking about—whatever it is. This is usually a specific event that occurred.

What is your prevailing thought—the "I" statement you are making?

Is it accurate to who you are based on your values?
How do you feel about that?

This process allows you to separate what you are thinking from the thought itself and the feeling it produces. Understanding how feelings lead to specific emotions helps you examine whether your expression aligns with your intended experience. When there is a mismatch between intention and expression, there is likely an inaccuracy in thought or feeling.

Do not judge your thought as good or bad. Instead, ask: Is this thought accurate or true? If it isn’t, replace it with a new, true thought: I can try. I will figure it out. I am safe. This shift allows your feelings to be more aligned with reality. I often tell people: if your thought is something you wouldn’t say in a job interview or when advising a friend, don’t say it to yourself.

Thoughts like I am deficient or I am not enough lead to feelings that generate the emotion of shame. Shame is a disconnecting emotion—it expresses a need for value, which in turn signals a belief that you do not have value. If you express shame in a situation that does not warrant it, choose a more accurate thought.

Feelings emanate from thoughts—use the energy of your mind to guide you toward an emotion that aligns with your intention. Because intention requires planning, plan to have a thought that expresses the emotion necessary for the experience you want.

By correctly identifying and organizing your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, you will feel more in control. If your thought is inaccurate (not true), your emotions will be inappropriate (e.g., shame), and your experience will feel inauthentic (not real). This incongruence between heart and mind manifests as anxiety.

Example

Identify your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and then ask yourself if they are accurate (true).

What you are thinking about:

"My business partner suggested I get some training in corporate dynamics."

The thought you have about yourself :

" I am not doing a good job "

(then ask yourself - is that true?)

Your feelings:

"I feel embarrassed, not good enough."

The emotion that pairs with those feelings:

Shame - you feel that you have less value. You are choosing to experience the event of someone taking an interest in your professional development as shameful. That would not be authentic to what was intended or expressed.

So you would choose to change your thought to be more accurate to who you want to be :

“I can expand my skills”

Your feelings:

I feel curious, open, accepting