You probably haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about what you think about, or how you think about things. But paying a little extra attention to the inner workings of your mind can come with big benefits.
Developing a deeper understanding of our internal monologues can help with emotion regulation, problem-solving, critical thinking, and communicating more effectively with ourselves, Famira Racy, a coordinator of the Inner Speech Lab at Mount Royal University, Canada, tells the B.B.C. What’s more, examining and identifying negative thought patterns we have can help us positively reframe them, and eventually, put a stop to them altogether.
To practice this on your own, stop for a few points throughout the day and spend some time considering your thoughts. What were you just thinking about? Why were you thinking about it, and how did it cross your mind? Don’t be afraid to ask yourself some tough questions — you may just learn something new.