A guide to intentional thinking

Gladys Torres shares how we can look to the rain to help us think intentionally

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on calmer

Thoughts are a lot more powerful than we give them credit for. We often confuse our thoughts with reality, which can make the process of loving yourself more complicated. 

To practice intentional thinking is to cultivate a deeper awareness of your thoughts and to be more willing to openly engage with, and challenge, ones that no longer serve you.

Practising intentional thinking might look like: 

• Acknowledging your thoughts (both healthy and unhealthy) with a higher sense of awareness.
• Trying to find the root of where those thoughts come from.
• Confronting harmful thoughts with openness and self-compassion.
• Actively choosing healthy, nourishing thoughts over destructive ones

Intentional thinking isn’t about controlling your thoughts; it’s about acknowledging each of them for what they are and being open to challenging the ones that do us more harm than good.

RAIN is an acronym first coined by yoga and meditation teacher Michele McDonald in 1999. Determined to help people find purpose, clarity and compassion through her teachings, Michele developed the RAIN concept to help others pause, reflect, and draw awareness to their internal worlds. RAIN stands for:

• Recognise the true nature of your thoughts.
• Allow them to exist without judgement.
• Investigate with compassion.
• Natural awareness, the act of not identifying with the experience.

RAIN helps us grasp the importance of separating what you think, from how you feel. For example, just because you feel unworthy of love, it doesn’t mean you are. Everyone deserves love and kindness — and RAIN can provide a safe space to recognise and practise that.

Here are five lessons about mindfulness from the rain.

Let it all out 

In many ways, the rain is reminiscent of tears. Instead of emotional build up, the clouds above grow so dense with moisture that they cannot help but burst open and release what they’ve been storing up. When life gets too much, and you can’t hold yourself together anymore, it’s okay to let it all go – in fact, it’s an essential part of your life cycle that keeps you healthy in the long run.

Appreciate the little things 

When it rains it gives us a unique opportunity to pause and reflect upon the world around us. The soft hush of the rain hitting the ground seems to bring calmness and clarity, encouraging us to pay attention to the little things in life. 

Cleanse your environment

The rain forms a part of the earth’s self-cleaning system. It replenishes dams, cleans streets and provides spaces for birds, squirrels and all types of creatures to take a natural bath. Sometimes, cleansing your environment is all you need to renew your energy, both inside and out.

Relinquish control

Rain often prevents people from going outside or holding outdoor events; it can also block roads and cause general inconveniences. However, these things are unavoidable, just like many obstructions in life. Sometimes, letting go of that need for control can give way to a more accepting stance on life.

Contemplate 

There’s nothing like a good rainstorm to get your introspective juices flowing. Something about the rain prompts us to become pensive and thoughtful, which is important for gaining a deeper understanding of yourself and the world. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is to watch the rain and allow yourself to contemplate the mysteries of life and the incredible experiences it offers.