Member-only story

You Are Not Accountable for Your Thoughts, Only Your Actions

Derek Strike
6 min readJan 13, 2025

--

Getty Images — Pyrosky

“We don’t make thoughts appear, they just appear.” Byron Katie

Have you ever had a thought that shocked or embarrassed you? Maybe you imagined saying something hurtful, or a completely random, bizarre idea popped into your mind.

It happens to everyone and is part of how our brains work. While thoughts may seem alarming at times, they are often involuntary and not a reflection of your character.

What truly matters is how you choose to respond to them. Actions, not thoughts, define who you are. Understanding this distinction can help reduce guilt, build self-compassion, and empower you to focus on living intentionally and ethically…it’s the real you.

Understanding Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts are those annoying, often unsettling ideas that barge into our minds uninvited. They’re super common — pretty much everyone has them.

We’re talking about stuff like suddenly imagining yourself yelling in a quiet library, worrying you left the stove on, or having a random violent or sexual thought that makes you go, “Whoa, where did that come from?”

These thoughts can be about anything: harm, sex, religion, you name it.

The author made this story available to Medium members only.
If you’re new to Medium, create a new account to read this story on us.

Or, continue in mobile web

Already have an account? Sign in

--

--

Derek Strike
Derek Strike

Written by Derek Strike

Writing is about becoming conscious. Nothing in life is of any value unless it is shared with others. Love to learn and be challenged.

No responses yet

Write a response