TSL #006: How To Create Liberation From Your Negative Thinking Through Thought Ladders

Read time: 2 minutes

When I help people downshift their attachment to their work, a big part of our early focus is on creating more helpful thoughts about their own agency.

Decoupling their worth from their work
Expanding what they think is possible, in terms of asserting more boundaries
Making bolder asks to support their energy

These all sound like great aspirations. But closing the intention-action gap is far easier said than done. And there are a lot of factors at play: identity, immunity to change, and thought work…for starters.

This past week, I had a few coaching clients express relief and liberation through the power of neutral thoughts, which are part of a thought work technique I taught them. So I'm sharing the technique with you today.

WHAT TO DO (see visual below)

Grab a pen and sheet of paper.
Draw a ladder on it.
On the bottom rung of the ladder, write down an unhelpful thought you have on repeat.
Now, think of the most helpful thought you could have about this topic.
Write that thought at the top of the ladder.
Check in with your body to see whether this “top rung” thought feels credible and believable. It likely won't…and this is normal/expected.
Elsewhere on the sheet of paper, do a 1-minute brainstorm to free write a few other possible thoughts you could have about this very same topic. (They could be less negative, neutral, or more positive thoughts.)
Select one of the thoughts you wrote down that feels credible and believable and write it on the rung of the ladder that's second from the bottom. This is the thought you'll practice until you've integrated it as a coherent part of your identity.
Once this thought is integrated, then create and practice an even more helpful thought. (Continue this practice until you've integrated your ideal thought.)

Neutral thoughts are intentional, new thoughts you want to practice believing, even though they're not the ultimate thought you want to believe. They're active, not passive. And they're so helpful in being able to create positive momentum toward your aspirations.