Start Thinking for Yourself and Stop Sinking into Painful Thoughts and Feelings

Don't run with the herd. See how a stampede of thoughts instantaneously comes up when there is a disturbance. Work to catch the "leading" thought that wants to gather other familiar thoughts and feelings to wind you down the well rutted path called pain. If you can't catch the thought or feeling that starts the stampede, then catch the reaction(s) that follow. You will then realize that usually something else is doing your thinking for you. Say inwardly to that mindless herd, "Y'all go on without me!" This is thinking for yourself. In order to think for yourself you must become aware of the moments when something starts to think for you, which is the same as consciously step out of that painful rut. Become aware of the thoughts instead of identifying with them. As you do more of this kind of real thinking a new kind of higher path is revealed.