Keeping watch of the “Web”

This morning I was sitting on the deck enjoying a cup of tea. The cool gentle breeze and the small, yellowing Locust tree leaves twisting and twirling to the ground let me know that fall is just around the corner. Then, a spider caught my attention on the other end of the deck. It had spun a giant web from the rim of the rain spout to the light post on the edge of the deck. Two small Locust leaves had fallen and gotten stuck in the web.  I went over to examine closer and watched as the spider pulled the leaves off the web and tossed them to the ground. The spider then left the web and scurried back up to hide under the rain spout keeping close watch of its web.  That web is so much like my mind with all the many thoughts it catches in a day. I had to ask myself, am I diligent like that little spider to keep close watch and eradicate the negative, limiting or fear based thoughts that drop into my mind? How many thoughts go unnoticed and are left to distract and keep the good thoughts that I need from entering my mind? I’ve found a simple little practice, that I like to call “Daily Check-in,” helpful in becoming aware of my thoughts. I simply take a minute or two several times a day, to check in and ask myself, “how is my environment, what am I feeling emotionally and what am I thinking about?” This simple act, practiced regularly, has helped me become more quickly aware of thoughts coming into my head that are not serving me. When I become aware; I can make a choice to rid the thought from the web of my mind. How about you, are you aware of the thoughts that are not serving you?