Do we control our thoughts or do our thoughts control us?

Generally speaking our thoughts control us, but we can learn to be the ones in charge.
Our thoughts do control how we view the world, which in turn determines how we interact with the surrounding world.
This doesn't have to be bad, but usually is because of the experiences we had and the lessons we learned, since there are more big negative experiences than there are big positive ones.
Basically, every experience we had leads us to view life in a certain way, this view causes thoughts to arise which determine the way we interact with the world.

So, to sum it up, you interact with the environment depending on the experiences you had.
Now, we can make that work for us by interjecting at any point in this line-up!
We can control what we experience by following the positive ones and getting rid of the negative ones, which in turn affects the way we view the world and therefore, how we think about it.

We can also control how we view the world and what we believe by looking for evidence of the beliefs we want to hold, and by faking it until we make it, which, again, affects the way we think.
Lastly, we can directly affect our thoughts by letting go of them or choosing to think about something different.
You can think about whatever you desire right now, about dogs, cats, humans, the way the world works or the purpose of life.

The problem does not reside with the conscious thoughts, but with the subconscious thoughts that control us.
To deal with those we have to get in the practice of consciously thinking about the things we want our subconscious mind to think of.
For example: If you think, every day, how messed up and horrible your life is, then the pathways in your brain will strengthen, which means that more activity is centered around those areas, both subconsciously and consciously, which means you will be more inclined to think about negative things since the pathways are faster to travel.

Let's put that in a better metaphor: Your thoughts are like cars driving on roads. Now, the more cars, or thoughts, travel to a certain area, the better it will be if that road gets bigger, and that is exactly what your brain does.
So by choosing to think about positive, empowering and amazing thoughts, we strengthen those roads, meaning that they will become the highways in our brain, and will be used a lot more by all thoughts.
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To answer this question with all of this information, I would say our thoughts control us, but we can control what thoughts we want to have to control us.

Basically, we elect the thoughts that have the most say in how we interact with the world, but ultimately it is the thoughts that control the way we act.
 
Generally speaking, our thoughts control us, but we can learn to be the ones in charge.

Our thoughts do control how we view the world, which in turn determines how we interact with the surrounding world.

This doesn't have to be bad but usually is because of the experiences we had and the lessons we learned, since there are bigger negative experiences than there are big positive ones.

Basically, every experience we had leads us to view life in a certain way, this view causes thoughts to arise which determine the way we interact with the world.

So, to sum it up, you interact with the environment depending on the experiences you had.
 
Generally speaking, our thoughts control us, but we can learn to be the ones in charge.

Our thoughts do control how we view the world, which in turn determines how we interact with the surrounding world.

This doesn't have to be bad but usually is because of the experiences we had and the lessons we learned, since there are bigger negative experiences than there are big positive ones.

Basically, every experience we had leads us to view life in a certain way, this view causes thoughts to arise which determine the way we interact with the world.

So, to sum it up, you interact with the environment depending on the experiences you had.
 
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