Decoding the Nature of Thoughts

A Gentle Guide to Listening Beneath the Surface

We often assume our thoughts are literal.

“I want to move to Mongolia.”

“I can’t stop thinking about that breakup.”

“I should delete everything and disappear.”

But what if these thoughts aren’t actual instructions?

What if they’re placeholders—emotional bookmarks for something deeper trying to rise?

A Thought Is Not Always What It Says It Is

You may not truly want to move across the world.

What if your inner world is simply asking for space?

For stillness, for mystery, for a break from the noise?

Instead of reacting, try pausing to ask:

• What emotion is behind this thought?

• Where do I feel it in my body?

• What is this thought trying to help me understand?

The mind often translates emotions into stories.

The heart speaks in symbols and longings.

And if we don’t pause to decode, we can get caught chasing the story instead of feeling what needs to be felt.

When Trauma Thoughts Return

Let’s say you’re feeling low.

That deep ache rises. And with it comes the same old thought—the one that always shows up when you’re vulnerable.

It might sound like:

“They never loved me.”

“I’ll always be alone.”

“I’m a failure.”

But here’s the truth: that thought isn’t the core wound.

It’s a flag.

An echo of a place in you still learning how to be held.

Instead of arguing with it or suppressing it… pause.

Feel what it’s pointing to. Let the emotion behind the thought speak in its native tongue.

Repeating Fights Are Often Placeholders Too

In relationships, couples often fight about the same thing over and over again.

It might sound like “You never listen,” or “Why do you always leave the dishes?”

But what if those fights aren’t really about dishes or logistics?

What if they’re placeholders for a deeper emotional current?

Next time that pattern rises, ask:

• What emotion is this really about?

• What unspoken need is hiding under this moment?

• What feeling have we been trying to express without words?

So often, it’s about being seen, being safe, or being chosen.

Not about dishes at all.

Let the Emotion Speak

Sometimes a thought that seems extreme—like dyeing your hair bright green or quitting your job overnight—is just emotion trying to create movement or freedom.

It doesn’t always mean you need to act.

It just means something in you is ready to shift.

When you pause to feel it instead of fixing it, the urgency softens.

The truth emerges.

The message gets clearer.

A New Way to Engage the Mind

What if you approached every thought with curiosity?

Not fear.

Not urgency.

Just presence.

Ask yourself:

• What emotion is this thought trying to carry into my awareness?

• What is it asking me to feel—not to fix?

• What truth is waiting underneath the noise?