When your own thoughts become the problem, thinking harder won’t help. Here's what actually worked for me.
The State of Mind Shapes the World We Live In
Yesterday, I wrote about how perspective shapes our world. Today, I want to take this a step deeper: it’s not just how we see things. It's who is doing the seeing. It's our state of mind that creates the world we live in.
Once we’re in a certain state of mind, everything aligns to match it: our emotions, our feelings, our thoughts. They all start flowing in the same direction. And sometimes, it becomes a loop.
When we’re facing a problem or going through a tough time, it feels like our mind is trapped inside that specific energy. Solutions? Hard to find. Clarity? Nowhere. Hope? Distant.
Let me give you an example.
The Smoke Story
I used to smoke. In France, smoking was banned from public spaces years ago. At the time, I was shocked. How could they ask me to go outside in the cold, in the rain, to smoke? I felt rejected. Misunderstood. A victim, even.
Now, I haven’t smoked for six years. I’m sitting outside at a café, and someone lights a cigarette. The wind blows the smoke right into my face. I move away — but I’m surrounded by smokers. It’s like outside has become their paradise, and I am the outsider now. Guess what? I feel rejected again!
Funny how the feeling comes back — even when the context has flipped.
After a Break-Up
Another example: after a breakup, we often feel like doing... nothing. We know that going out, seeing friends, or just taking a walk could help. But we don’t want to. The person who knows it would help is the same person who doesn't feel like doing anything. It’s the same stuck mind trying to find a way out.
That’s the trap.
The way out is not to think harder, but to shift the state.
Changing the Channel
Sometimes we need outside help — someone to guide us, pull us out of the fog. But we can also help ourselves, gently, by doing small things that change our state:
Deep breathing — more oxygen to the brain, clearer thinking. And it takes zero effort.
Movement — any kind. Walk, stretch, dance, shake.
Meditation — even just five minutes. It opens the door to new thoughts, new perspectives.
And the best? Build a routine. If meditation or movement becomes a habit, you might still do it even when you don’t feel like it. That’s when it saves you.
Final Thought
Your mind can be your prison, or your playground. And sometimes, just one small shift — one breath, one step — is all it takes to change everything.
