Watch Your Thoughts

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
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I have found this to be very true for me. I find that my actions are often a direct result of my thinking, particularly if I'm ruminating. Before I know it these actions are habit-actions, and the thoughts are habit-thoughts.

If I make a conscious effort, for example, to consider my thoughts merely thoughts, not necessarily worthy of acting upon, my behaviors can often be quite different. And over time it does shape into a character as the habits get ingrained into my adjustment to the world.

So at the most basic level, this small paragraph points to remaining mindful of thoughts. The way that the effects of thinking can flow out into the rest of what we do is something that I've found to be so true.

It's in this way, that in a sense meditation doesn't stop even when we get off the cushion.

Just some thoughts and reflections...