When I first began practicing mindfulness – and therefore suddenly realising the sheer amount of noise that was going on in my head that I had been previously unaware of – I found it interesting to try and categorise the thoughts to see which “type” tended to occur most often. I found this especially helpful in understanding certain types of critical behaviour I was habituated in and it allowed me to gain some sort of insight into them.
So, here’s my list of thought “types” please feel free to send me any you have – I’m interested to see what other people’s experiences are.
Oh, and finally remember “Thoughts are not facts.” I wish someone had told me that when I was much younger.
- Reinventing the past thought.
- Theoretical conversations with strangers that you never had thought.
- Rehearsing an argument that you’ll probably never have thought.
- Catastrophising thought.
- Planning thought.
- Discussing with yourself thought.
- Singing a song thought.
- Constructing a route thought.
- Explaining something to yourself thought.
- Rehearsing a future event thought.
- An art thought.
- A possible project thought.
- A thought about thought about…
- Self analysis thought.
- Distinctive repetitive beat thought (bang, bang, bang)
- Stupid thought.
- External observational thought.
- Planning something by a rehearsed conversation thought.
- A negative rehearsed conversation thought.
- A defensive rehearsed conversation thought.
- Duh stupid! Thought.
- Concern for family thought.
- Question yourself thought. (About thought?)
- Hurry up! Thought.
- Potential danger leading to continuation of scenario thought.
- Reassuring thought.
- Physical pain thought.
- Setting a reminder thought
- Justification for behaviour thought.
- Internal argument thought.
- Negative and then reassurance thought.
- A question? Thought.
- Rewriting somebody else’s work thought.
- Good Samaritan thought.
- Accusing thought.
- Historical thought.
- Sexual thought.
- Searching… Thought.
- Grateful thought.