Did I really think that?
Outrageous thoughts - we all have them. Those thoughts that are so unbelievably out of character that you’re almost surprised they came into your head. Written by trainee Ollie Coach, Jess Goddard.
'Your Thoughts Aren't Problems'
Imagine it now, it’s 4am, your baby has been crying through the entire night, you’re exhausted, you’re desperate and you start to think of a million ways to stop this baby from crying – some of them... outrageous.
Outrageous thoughts - we all have them. Those thoughts that are so unbelievably out of character that you’re almost surprised they came into your head. Thoughts such as ‘I could jump off that cliff’ or ‘I could steal that person’s wallet’ – all kinds of outrageous thoughts that pop into our heads on a daily basis. But does this make us all criminals and adrenaline seekers? No! Because we don’t act on them!
It’s 5am and you’re crying too by this point and thinking ‘I wish this baby had never been born!’ and the thought of leaving it on someone else’s doorstep creeps in again – but does this mean you will? No! It’s another outrageous thought that you’re not acting on!
The thought is never the problem – it’s what you do with it.
It’s easy and socially acceptable not to act on outrageous thoughts. But what if this applied to thoughts that were not so outrageous – more every day, more ‘normal’? What if those everyday thoughts you have, aren’t a problem if you don’t act on it? When a negative past experience pops up in your head, your brain offers a million suggestions for what you can do about it. Drink? Eat? Smoke? And when you take those suggestions and act, that’s when the thought became a problem. Those thoughts that bother you on a daily basis, unless you act on them they become nothing more than a passing car in your brain. What if we realised that the bad thought wasn’t a problem and let it go, rather than choosing to act? The thought is never the problem, it’s what you do with it.
And this is where the Ollie Model Magic comes in… When we think bad thoughts we are not bad people – but they can make us feel like one sometimes. Ollie coaches help you to take those thoughts and overcome them. The Ollie model helps you to explore all the new ways you can act on passing thoughts thrown at you by past experiences. You can’t change the past, but you can change how you feel about it. Imagine how different your life could be if you could accept the thought for what it was and move on.
So when it’s 6am, and your baby is finally asleep, you can relax, knowing that those thoughts were just thoughts and that they aren’t a problem anymore.
Jess Goddard, trainee Ollie Coach
Jess is currently training to be an Ollie Coach whilst working as a Teaching Assistant. She has a First Class Degree in Psychology which has sparked both her interest in people's thinking processes and her passion for helping people. Jess is enjoying training with Ollie and his Super Powers and looks forward to qualifying and beginning her journey as an Ollie Coach.
To get in contact with Jess, email info@ollieandhissuperpowers.com