Dark Thoughts? What to Do When Your Thinking Scares You

We all have unique thoughts that signal when we are very tired, stressed, or run down.

Because we are all living in the feeling of our thinking.

Our thinking then becomes a barometer communicating what mood we are in.

Let me give you some examples.

When I previously worked in my corporate healthcare position, there were days that I was so run down and the pressure felt so intense that I would think about how I wanted to burn my computer and all the work I was working on.

(Please know how embarrassed I am in sharing this. I am in no way a pyromaniac. The only thing I have started on fire is a barbeque.)

My client shared with me when he is very stressed, as a previous college football player, he thinks about wanting to ‘run through’ his co-workers who are standing in his way.

My other client, who previously worked in the military before moving into an executive role, shared with me when he is very stressed he thinks about starting fights.

I have another client who, under intense stress and pressure, always thinks it is time to quit his longstanding career because he can’t take it anymore.

When we get in these very low moods where we are stressed, tired, and run down, our thoughts reflect that state.

Unfortunately what usually happens when we think these dark thoughts is we then think there is something wrong with us.

We think, ‘I must be depressed, I must have anger management issues, I must need to change careers’, etc.

We scare ourselves with our own thinking.

Here is what you need to remember:

We all have places where our minds go when we are stressed and run down.

And our thoughts are not a reflection of our external circumstances. They are an indication of our current mental and emotional state.

It doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you. It doesn’t mean that you need to do anything to fix yourself.

It simply means you are run down and it is time to slow down and rest.

Here’s the good news:

We are made to bounce back.

Your well-being is always inside of you. And we are engineered in a way that we are always designed to rebound back to our well-being.

When my clients share with me they are thinking their darkest thoughts, I know that it is time for them to slow down, catch up on sleep, and take care of themselves so that they can bounce back to their natural state of calm, clarity, and contentment.

So if you are thinking about quitting your job, getting into an altercation, or even wanting to burn it all down, know that it is an indication that you are likely tired, run down, or stressed.

Your dark thoughts are nothing to be afraid of. They are a call to action to return to your natural state of well-being.

Slow down and prioritize your health so that you can bounce back and tackle everything that’s on your plate as your best self.

You’ve got this,

Tracey