To think or not to think

[Sabou]

Something that has always seemed to be just outside of my grasp is the concept of dealing with repeating thought patterns that are deemed unsatisfactory. I tend to be in my head a lot and my usual modus operandi is to become aware of the thought, and if possible to try to change the thought into a more positive orientation, by means of trying to think about it differently until I can feel some level of varying peace.

This often works, but it is temporary, the negative thought pattern will tend to find its way back and then I continue to repeat this pattern incessantly. Sometimes I am able to alter my thought to a great degree and find peace within that thought about a situation for quite some time, but all it takes is a certain trigger to crash it all down.

So this has showed me that the mind/thought is not stable. Now, from what I have gathered the alternative is to be aware of the thought, while trying not to identify with it, or label it, catching the monkey mind and returning to a state of no thought. One of main concerns about this (aside from the level of awareness and dedication it takes to actual skillfully practice this) is that I feel like by not trying to think my way out of a thought pattern I am somehow avoiding it and suppressing issues and not dealing with them. I feel like this may be another method of the ego trying to grasp on to overthinking and identifying with thoughts.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.