Runaway Train Brain

Have you ever had a thought that you wanted to avoid instead of facing it? Either you avoid it or just keep covering it up with what sounds like better thoughts. I call this phenomenon "Runaway Brain Train". This means you have a thought about something but instead of giving it consideration or time to understand, you just avoid it or run it over with other thoughts. 

Recently, I decided to focus my life coaching business on working with cancer survivors. I have been a cancer nurse for over a decade and have worked with thousands of people with cancer. While the thought of serving brings me so much joy, I have this little voice in the back of my head that I have not had cancer and I cannot help them. Instead of understanding the thought and giving it time to really be understood, I go to thoughts that make me feel better.

I see this happening frequently with my patients as well. They will begin with a negative thought of "I struggled with treatment." or "This was hard for me." then move onto quickly to comparing themselves to other people who had it worse and how they are happy to be done with treatment. 

What if we actually looked at the thought that "I struggled with treatment." and instead of trying to hide from it, attempted to understand it? Below is the model I created from the thought that I could not help cancer survivors since I have not had cancer which I had been avoiding. 

Current Model:

Circumstance: Life Coach Serving Cancer Survivors

Thought: I have not had cancer and I cannot help them.

Feeling: Small

Action: I doubt the quality of what I am sharing, It is holding me back, I downplay my experience and expertise. I am buffering in confused. Worried about blog being "preachy"

Result: Reinforces the thought that "I have not had cancer and I cannot help them."

After running a model, I realized how much this little thought is impacting my showing up. This is not who I wanted to be or how I want to show up. So here is the more intentional model.

Intentional Model:

Circumstance: Life Coaching Serving Cancer Survivors

Thought: I am here to empower cancer survivors to reclaim their lives. 

Feeling: Gratitude

Action: Put out content, continue to research cancer survivorship, share my knowledge, show up in a place of service

Result: Show up in a place of service.

This week I dare you to face the thoughts you want to avoid and just allow them instead of letting your brain go on runaway train mode. Give yourself permission to have "bad" or "negative" thoughts instead of running away from them or covering them up with "prettier" thoughts. Because at the end of the day there is no such thing as a bad thought, only an unconscious one.