Exploring the Nature of Thoughts and Feelings

By Dr Behrooz Behbod, Consultant Epidemiologist at Public Health Wales and Coach at The Entrepreneur’s Doctor.

Disclaimer: This is strictly for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. This content is not meant to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a healthcare professional for any medical issues or questions. Opinions expressed here, by Dr. Behbod may not reflect those of affiliated organisations.

Are you ready to unlock your natural genius and experience a life filled with purpose, fulfilment, and joy? Discover the simple, yet profound secret to making better choices, finding innovative solutions to problems, and nurturing deeper connections with others and yourself.

In this article, we explore the nature of our thoughts and feelings when we’re under persistent stress. You’ll learn how to tap into your inner resources, connect with others on a deeper level, and experience a profound sense of wellbeing that can help you overcome overwhelm, stress, and disconnection.

Come alive

According to Mental Health UK [1], 1 in 5 people takes a break to rest and recuperate after experiencing high levels of stress that affect their well-being. Often, we believe that the solution lies in making changes to our work or lifestyle. However, we frequently focus on the wrong areas, mistakenly thinking that these changes will bring long-lasting improvements.

What if the solution was further upstream?

Imagine a beautiful bay with several boats resting on the sandy seabed. Consider what it would take to lift all these boats effortlessly, all at once. To achieve this, we need to go upstream and raise the tide. Now, picture these boats as your challenges and concerns. What do you think would lift all these boats?

While you ponder that, let me share a brief story.

Throughout the last few decades, I’ve been striving to create a life that is happy, peaceful, stress-free, fulfilling, and impactful. I used to believe that to achieve this, I needed to check off a long list of ingredients for this ideal life. For me, those ingredients were a healthy lifestyle, a happy relationship, and fulfilling work.

But have you ever felt like you’re doing everything you can to climb the ladder of success, yet still feel unhappy or unfulfilled? It’s like something is missing.

I would go back to the drawing board, trying to find better ingredients, but it would always end up with a sense of dissatisfaction, exhaustion, and feeling stuck. That pot I was cooking wasn’t satisfying or delicious, and it wasn’t nourishing for me or the people I wanted to support.

2020 was the ultimate burnout for me. With uncertainty both at work and at home, I eventually broke down. I hit rock bottom. It was at that moment when my 4-year-old son came to me, looked into my eyes, held my hand, and said, “Dad, it’s going to be okay.” Those words shook me to the core and made me start exploring what it truly takes to feel happy and resilient again. I wanted to be there for my loved ones and continue making an impact in my work.

That’s when I stumbled upon a quote by Howard Thurman: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. And go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

It sparked an insight within me. I started wondering if we’ve got it all wrong when it comes to creating a happy, peaceful, and prosperous life.

Let’s do an exercise together. Just for a moment, imagine a perfect day. Not a day where everything in your circumstances is perfect, but a day where you feel like you’re on top of the world from within.

How does work feel on that day? How does your physical, mental, and spiritual health feel? And how about your relationships?

On that day, work feels purposeful, your overall well-being thrives, and your relationships are fulfilling.

Now, think about tough days when work feels challenging, your health might be affected to some extent, and your relationships may feel strained. Life may feel unfulfilling on those tough days.

As I reflected on the past few years, I realised something profound. What if all these things we strive for, like meaningful work, thriving health, and fulfilling relationships, are the natural by-products of coming alive?

Instead of thinking that achieving these things will make us happy, it’s the other way around. When we truly come alive from within, these things naturally fall into place. Coming alive becomes our inner compass, guiding us to create meaningful change in the world.

Natural genius

So, how can we truly come alive? The answer lies in exploring the fundamental nature of things.

Just think about the Wright brothers’ invention of flight or the creation of reusable space rockets that land safely back on Earth. Amazing things happen when we understand the nature of how things work.

Similarly, to truly come alive, we need to explore the nature of the human experience.

Imagine for a moment that you are a car. Instead of seeking a new or better car when it’s not performing at its best, it’s about understanding how your car is made and how it works.

It’s about using all its built-in capabilities, like shifting gears and using the GPS or sat nav system effectively.

I once had a friend who struggled with driving a car with manual gears. They found that the car made a lot of noise and didn’t move far, despite revving the engine. They believed something was wrong with the car. But once they learned how to engage the gears properly and drive smoothly, they unlocked the car’s incredible power and performance. It was like a whole new level of driving experience, allowing them to go on epic road trips.

By exploring the nature of how things work, including our mind and our experience, we can unlock our true potential.

Just like the gears in a car or the guidance from a GPS, our thoughts and feelings serve as valuable tools to navigate our journey on the road of life. They act as the engine and steering wheel, propelling us forward and helping us stay on the right path.

While thoughts and feelings may sometimes be like speed bumps or detour signs, they provide essential feedback to keep us aligned with our values and guide us back on track when we veer off course.

When we fully embrace our true selves, we tap into a remarkable state I like to refer to as our ‘natural genius’. This state encompasses four distinct gifts that we all possess from birth. These gifts, when nurtured and embraced, act as catalysts for personal growth, empowerment, and success. They are:

Natural Wellbeing: Just like a well-maintained car that runs smoothly, we all have the capacity for inner peace and contentment. Our natural wellbeing is not dependent on external circumstances but is an inherent state that we can tap into and cultivate.

Wisdom: Wisdom is like having a reliable GPS system that guides us in making wise decisions and navigating life’s challenges. It shows up as those “aha” moments or insights that come to us when we least expect them, helping us stay on the right path.

Creativity: Creativity is the fuel that drives us forward. It’s our ability to think outside the box, solve problems, and bring new ideas into existence. We all have this creative power within us, waiting to be unleashed like a high-performance engine.

Connection: Just as a car needs a network of roads and connections, deep down, we are all interconnected. We can form meaningful connections with others, build bridges, and create a sense of belonging. Our natural genius allows us to nurture relationships and experience a deeper sense of connection, both with others and with ourselves.

Here’s the simple, yet profound secret to coming alive: When we fully immerse ourselves in the present moment, and understand the nature of our human experience, we unlock our natural genius.

This empowers us to make better choices and find innovative solutions to problems. We also experience a deeper sense of connection, both with others and with ourselves.

The principles underlying this understanding are explored an article by Anthony Kessel and colleagues in the Journal of Public Mental Health [2]. This is a new area of research, with two interesting studies exploring the potential benefits of this understanding on mental wellbeing, resilience, and ability to navigate challenges amongst children and young people ([3], [4]).

Remember the boats on the seabed? We need the ocean to rise to lift them up, similarly we need to lift ourselves up to be able to deal with challenges we face. Allowing ourselves to feel our emotions without judgement helps to lift us.

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” – Rumi

Takeaway action: The next time you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or disconnected, remember that your natural genius is always accessible to you. Settle your thoughts, become fully present in the moment, and let your natural genius guide you towards a life filled with purpose, fulfilment, and joy. Happy exploring!

Learn more about Natural Genius here: www.doctorsbeyondburnout.com

Find out more about how our bodies respond to stress and activities that can help to reduce it

You might also like this resource from the Mental Health Foundation on understanding and managing emotions

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