TFA Triangle
What you will get: Understanding the importance of stepping back from thoughts, feelings and actions
“I think therefore I am”
Wrong!
You see…
You are not your thoughts.
And what’s more…
You are not your feelings.
And you are not your actions.
In fact…
You are bigger than your thoughts, feelings and actions (I call these 3 your TFA Triangle)
And if you want to you can change all three.
You can change the way you think…
…which will change the way you feel
…which will change the way you behave.
It’s all too easy to believe you are trapped by your thoughts, feelings and actions and they are you – but you are not trapped and they are not you.
And that’s where mindfulness comes in.
Mindful people have developed the ability to take a step back from their thoughts, feelings and actions and just observe them from a curious, non-judgmental place.
So next time you catch yourself having unnecessary negative thoughts, try to take a mindful look at those thoughts – just observing them and noticing them.
And next time you notice you are feeling down or frustrated in some way, again step away from the feeling in your mind and label it with a colour, taste, sound, shape, picture and words. Now suddenly the feeling is not you, but something you are observing and trying to understand.
And the same goes for your actions. If you find you do something ineffective, just take a step away and reflect on it. What can you learn from this and what can you do differently next time?
And remember…
Every thought you have is electrical energy.
And this electrical energy gets converted into chemical energy around the body (we call this energy feelings)
So every negative thought you have will produce stress related changes around the body.
And every positive thought you have will produce positive hormonal changes around the body.
So isn’t it time you take a step away from your thoughts, feelings and actions, observe them and realise you manage them, and not the other way round.
Because once you start to manage your TFA Triangle, you are in charge of your life.
No more will you be a victim of chance, destiny or fate.
No more will you be dependent on your environment.
No more will you need to rely on others.
So in the words of an unknown 21st Century Philosopher (me):
“I observe my thoughts feelings and actions, therefore I am.”
OK, it’s not as catchy as the famous philosophical quote, but it sure is more empowering.
So are you ready to masters your TFA Triangle?
To your success.
Steve Neale
“Europe’s Leading Expert on Personal and Professional Growth”
Psychologist, Executive Coach, EI Practitioner, Award Winning Trainer, International Author, Psychodynamic Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Mindfulness Instructor, International Speaker, Creator of the LPS, Creator of the Accredited Masters in High Performance Leadership
