Have you ever heard the saying, "What you think about, you bring about"? For me, this small mantra has helped foster more conscious thinking. I recently saw a social post of Simon Sinek giving a TED talk, where he gave an example of this concept. He said, “Don’t think of an elephant.” Of course, the first thing that pops into our minds is... an elephant.
This concept of focusing our thoughts has been particularly relevant for me recently, after a major inconvenience: my truck and camper needed repairs following an accident. I was driving through Indiana and had stopped at a rest area. As I was pulling out of a parking space, the back leg jack of my camper caught a car door that was left open, causing significant damage to both the camper and the truck. What followed was a lengthy, expensive repair process that took months and tens of thousands of dollars to complete.
Dropping my camper off at the repair shop was emotional. I knew it would be there for the rest of the season, and having just spent seven weeks traveling and living in it, I was sad thinking I wouldn’t have another adventure in it this year. It felt nearly impossible to shift my focus from how upset and frustrated I was about the accident and the lost summer.
Meanwhile, Eric and I had to get the truck thoroughly inspected to check for damage to the suspension, shocks, axle, frame, and more. The collision center experience was terrible, and we were without a vehicle for a full eight weeks. Each week, we hoped for progress, only to be met with more delays and setbacks. It felt like everything was working against us.
We each had our own way of navigating this time and when I was down Eric lifted me up and when he was down I reciprocated. Most days, Eric used my car for his commute to work. If I needed the car, I’d drive him to and from work, which meant spending an hour on the road each way. My summer was completely put on hold—I couldn’t get to the mountains, go on day hikes, meet friends for lunch, or take the dogs out on the trails like I usually would. When I did make those extra driving hours worth it, it was for hair appointments, vet visits, or lunch with a friend and a local hike.
How many times a day do we dwell on everything going wrong?
"I can’t believe that happened!" "FML." "Why me?" "I never signed up for this." "How could someone do that to me?" "Poor me!"
The list could go on, and I’m sure you have your own favorites that swirl in your head too. It’s important to notice how our bodies feel when we think this way. Negative thoughts often bring low energy, fatigue, or sadness, while positive thoughts or experiences feel light, easy, and happy. This is because where our intentions go, energy flows. I challenge you to focus on something that makes you angry for a moment and notice how it feels in your body. What do you notice? Does your heart start beating a little faster? Do you clench your teeth?
Try this exercise again, but this time change your thoughts to things that you are grateful for and see what happens. Does your heart rate slow down? Do your shoulders release? How about your jaw? Our thoughts create the energy flow throughout our bodies and we have constant control over them when we choose to be conscious of it.
As we realize how our thoughts shape our experiences, we can use them to build the lives we want. As the eight weeks dragged on, I began consciously shifting my mindset from “woe is me” to focusing on a positive outcome. Whenever I caught myself thinking about how awful the collision center and insurance process were, I’d reframe: "At least the truck will be fixed when the parts come in," or "I’m grateful insurance covered this, or we’d be in financial trouble." I’d remind myself that mistakes happen and that everyone is learning as they go.
I also started visualizing a future where Eric and I could travel with our dogs through Colorado in the repaired truck and camper, exploring the outdoors. If a “FML” moment crept in, I’d counter it with, "I’m grateful for this extended time to rest, read, and grow in ways I wouldn’t have otherwise."
My new mantras became “progress over perfection,” “it’s okay to make mistakes,” and “we learn as we go.” These help me recognize unhelpful thoughts without beating myself up for having them in the first place.
Now, after 12 weeks, we finally have our camper—and our precious truck—back in the driveway. Instead of mourning the lost summer and autumn, we’re excited to plan a trip south for the holidays. There will be more summers and autumns to come, and we’re ready for wherever the road takes us.
