Thought Waves
The other day, it occurred to me that our thoughts filter through our brains like sound waves. There are the high-frequency ones that resound loudly and repeat ceaselessly when they should be silenced. And then there are the low-frequency ones that are barely audible and don’t get as much airtime as they deserve.
“I’m not good enough,” “I’m fat,” “I’m a bad parent,” “I’m not pretty enough,” or “I’m a failure” are, sadly, examples of high-frequency thoughts that most, if not all of us, play regularly, much to our detriment. The toxicity infused in such critical thoughts can lead to a distorted sense of reality and wreak havoc on our self-esteem and self-confidence. At the other end of the spectrum, positive thoughts such as “I am loved,” “I am smart,” “I am beautiful the way God made me,” and “I am capable” occur with low frequency and are almost muted in our minds, to the point that they get drowned out by the louder, negative ones.
Why do we turn on destructive thoughts more often and allow them ownership of our emotions and behavior? Is our lack of self-worth so deeply rooted that it becomes impossible to tune them out? Or is it that society continues to encourage us to chase after an impossible ideal, a misguided notion that perfection exists?
None of us was born with low self-worth. That strongly points to the powerful influence of our social environment, be it our inner circle or society at large. Cultural shaming and judgment can shape our thoughts and project a false sense of self. With the advent of social media, the pressure to appear invincible and flawless has grown and contributes heavily to harmful thoughts.
Imagine if we validated each other instead and reaffirmed that every one of us has value just as we are, unfiltered and unbound by social expectations. What if we don’t define each other by our skin tone, the width of our waist, the level of our education, the size of our bank account, the hardships we’ve faced, or the mistakes we’ve made—but instead, recognize that every person is worthy of love and compassion.
If we channel our energy into building support networks rather than tearing one another down, self-affirming thoughts will dominate and become the only frequency that registers in our minds. Consider the impact that would have on our overall well-being and the enormous ripple effect on humankind. What if it’s just a matter of each one of us fine-tuning the frequency of our thought waves?
