The Clouds Are Your Thoughts

Envision looking up into the sky.  You may see strictly blue sky, a bunch of white clouds, or even some grey clouds on the horizon.  Figuratively, all of these clouds represent your thoughts.  Each cloud will pass by and all you need to do is observe the thought.  Then, you can decide what action step to take towards your goals from there.  Let’s take a deeper look at the clouds are your thoughts.

Blue Sky

When you see clear, blue sky with no clouds, there aren’t any issues in your life.  You’re just floating through life, not giving it much thought.  There isn’t anything to stress or worry about.  You’re just simply going through the motions of life.  You’re accepting life as it is.  There aren’t any obstacles or hurdles in your path.  It just smooth sailing, which isn’t entirely bad.  However, it isn’t pushing you or challenging you to become your best self and achieve your dreams in life.

White Clouds

When you notice white clouds, those are clouds of love, acceptance, happiness, and positive thoughts.  You may see an abundance of these clouds or just a few white clouds strewn across the sky.  These clouds come in all different shapes and sizes.  It’s all the happy, positive thoughts you have in life.  It’s the good moments, fun memories, and happy times you’re experiencing in life.  These are the things you’ll cherish and remember most in life.

Grey Clouds

Next, are the dark, grey, purple clouds that look like a storm.  Perhaps these clouds have rain, thunder, and lightening.  You’ll see these clouds when you’re in a bad mood.  It’s all the negative thoughts and limiting beliefs you have.  These clouds are large and feel overwhelming.  It’s like that visual of someone walking around with a dark cloud hanging over their head.  Your mood feels sad and down.  These are the unhappy times you’d like to quickly get through and forget.  However, these grey clouds can be your biggest teachers in life.

Sunbreaks

Lastly, there are the clouds with sunbreaks behind them.  These clouds represent hope, possibility, opportunities, and a sign that good things are coming.  It’s a beacon of bright light.  You can see the amazing potential for your future.  You’re not stuck where you are.  There is a light on the other side of that cloud.  It’s like the feeling good song lyrics, that sing it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good.  It's the hope you need to keep going even when things are difficult in life.  Sunbreaks are what you need to look for on your darkest of days.  You can even see sunbreaks behind the white clouds and you should be especially excited for what’s on its way to you when that happens.

Observe

You’re not stuck with your thoughts in the clouds.  Watch the clouds pass by and observe your thoughts.  You may have done this as a child growing up.  Recall looking up at the sky and using your imagination to determine which clouds looked like what animal, person, or object.  Simply observe the clouds.  Don’t place any judgement or immediately react.  Pause, observe, and then you can choose what to do next.  If it’s a negative thought, let your thought go just as the clouds pass by overhead in the sky.  Your negative thoughts do not have to stay with you.  Observe it and move onto focusing on the next cloud as you search for the sunbreaks.

Thoughts

Remember, you are the thinker of your thoughts.  But, you are not your thoughts.  You are not the clouds or the bad weather.  You can observe your thoughts and watch your thoughts float by like clouds in the sky.  When you notice those grey clouds of negative thoughts, you can choose again.  Let those grey clouds pass and choose to focus on a new, more positive thought.  Look at your thoughts as clouds in the sky. 

You have thousands of thoughts per day.  One thought comes in and one thought goes out.  However, it’s the repetitive, negative thoughts that you need to be careful of.  These are those grey cloud thoughts.  View your thoughts as clouds.  Observe the thought and let your thoughts pass without initially reacting.  Choose to focus on those positive, white cloud thoughts.  Always look for the sunbreaks of opportunities that encourage and inspire you to go after your goals.  When you’re more conscious of your thoughts, you can focus on the empowering thoughts that motivate you into action to achieve your goals.

Take Action Challenge

The Cloudy Thought Rest

Step 1: Spot Your Cloud 

Throughout the next week, notice when a thought changes your mood or makes you want to avoid taking action.

Ask yourself, what thought is passing through your mind right now?

Is it:

• ☁️ White Cloud: A positive, loving, encouraging thought
• 🌩️ Grey Cloud: Fear, worry, doubt, criticism, or a limiting belief
• 🌤️ Sunbreak: Hope, possibility, opportunity, or a new perspective

Don't try to change the thought yet.  Just notice it.

Step 2: Observe Instead Of React

When a grey cloud appears, pause before reacting.

Take a deep breath and imagine the thought floating across the sky like a cloud.

Tell yourself, this is a thought.  You do not have to believe it or act on it.

Then, watch it pass.

Step 3: Find The Sunbreak

Ask yourself, what else could be true in this moment?

Look for the possibility hiding behind the grey cloud.

Examples:

Grey cloud thought says you're not ready to do this.
The sunbreak thought says you don't have to be ready.  You can just take one small step and learn as you go.

Grey cloud thought says what if you fail?
The sunbreak thought says what if you learn something?

You're not pretending the grey clouds don't exist.  You're choosing to look for the light of the sunbreaks behind it.

Step 4: Choose Your Thought

Now, write down one thought you want to carry forward.

Complete this sentence, instead of believing ________, I chose to believe ________.

Choose something that feels encouraging but still believable to you.

Step 5: Take Action

Now ask yourself what action can you take from this new perspective?

Take one small step toward your goal.

The goal isn't to have perfectly blue sky or white clouds all the time.  Rather, it's to learn that you can make it through the grey clouds and find the the sunbreaks when you need to.