24/03/2026
🧠Not all thoughts are important, not all thoughts are true. So which ones are really worth listening to?
Have you ever stopped and wondered just how many thoughts pass through your mind in a single day?
It’s estimated we have thousands, some say anywhere between 6,000 and 60,000. That’s a lot of mental activity for any one person!
Some of those thoughts are helpful, they guide us, help us make decisions, keep us safe, and reflect what matters to us. They’re relevant, grounded in our lives, our values, and what’s actually happening around us.
But many, most, are not…..
Some thoughts are random, fleeting, or just mental noise, as we process all our experiences, past and present. Others can feel much louder, important and more convincing especially when we are experiencing stress, anxiety, or deeper fears. These might sound like:
“What if something goes wrong?”
“Did I mess that up?”
“What if this means something bad?”
And when we’re already struggling, these thoughts can feel incredibly important, maybe even urgent. Often, our bodies feel symptoms too – a racing heart, feeling sick, a growing sense of unease, to name a few, as if we need to listen, believe the thoughts, or act on them straight away.
But ….
Not every thought is meaningful.
Not every thought needs your attention.
And not every thought is true.
Especially if we are living with stressful times or dealing with anxiety.
Having unhelpful or intrusive thoughts is not a sign that something is wrong with you, it’s a very human response, especially when your mind is trying to protect you or make sense of uncertainty.
Sometimes, instead of engaging with every thought, we can begin to notice them… acknowledge them… and allow them to pass…..
Like leaves drifting on a stream.
Or clouds moving across the sky.
Or a breeze that comes and goes.
This doesn’t mean ignoring what matters (some thoughts are important, and deserve attentions and care), it means learning to recognise the difference between the thoughts that support you, and the ones that pull you further into worry or distress.
If you notice yourself getting caught in certain thoughts, you might ask yourself….
Is this thought helpful to me now?
Is it asking something of me, or just creating more fear?
Can I let this one pass, or just wait before I respond, just for now?
If you recognise this in yourself, you are not alone. So many people experience this, especially when life feels tough, and the last thing we need in times of difficulty is self-judgement for being human 💛.
www.gailanncounselling.co.uk
Photo credit: toolkit
