When we overidentify with our senses and the external world, we often find ourselves at the mercy of our circumstances. We feel overwhelmed by what happens around us and within us. However, a powerful model, CTFAR, can help us gain more inner awareness and create a balanced life. CTFAR stands for Circumstance, Thought, Feeling, Action, and Result. This framework helps us understand how our feelings and thoughts shape our actions, ultimately influencing our results.
What is CTFAR?
The CTFAR model provides a clear structure for understanding the chain reaction that occurs in our minds. At its core, the model consists of five components:
1. Circumstance: These are the facts of our situation, outside events that we cannot change, such as other people.
2. Thought: Our interpretation of these circumstances; this is where our beliefs and perceptions come into play. For instance, losing a job might lead to thoughts that over-identify with shadow energy, like worry.
3. Feeling: An emotional response that co-creates our thoughts. A negative thought can result in feelings of anxiety, sadness, or frustration.
4. Action: The behaviors we choose based on our feelings and thoughts in connection. For example, In our job loss scenario, feeling defeated may lead to withdrawing from social interactions or avoiding job applications.
5. Result: The outcome of our actions reinforces our initial thoughts, creating a cycle that can be hard to break.
This model highlights the critical role that our thoughts play in shaping our experience in connection to patterns of emotionally driven behaviors. Recognizing our thought patterns can shift our perspectives for more positive outcomes.
To seek the highest truth, one must first recognize what is false. To find the truth, we must see the lie and explore the darkness to create the light.
Change Your Perspective
When faced with challenging circumstances, it’s easy to let negative thoughts spiral out of control. By applying the CTFAR model, we can break this cycle and choose to respond differently.
For example, consider a circumstance where you receive critical feedback at work. Initially, the circumstance (feedback) might trigger a thought such as “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll never succeed.” These thoughts can lead to feelings of inadequacy and stress. From this place, your actions may include avoiding future projects, withdrawing from teamwork, or resigning.
Using CTFAR, you can pause and reassess your initial thought by addressing the root feeling. “I am not a victim of this circumstance. “And instead of thinking negatively, you can replace it with a more constructive thought: “This feedback is an opportunity for growth.” Practicing this shift will lead to upgraded energy and different feelings—perhaps motivation instead of despair.
Consequently, your actions involve self-reflection, illumination, forgiveness, and asking for support from the universe. These steps will improve your skills, positively influence your results, and boost your performance through enhanced confidence from having faith in yourself.
Through this intentional thought management, you reshape your experiences and outcomes by upgrading your thought energy.
Practical Steps to Implement Aspects of CTFAR in Everyday Life
To effectively utilize the CTFAR model, here are some steps you can take in your daily practice:
1. Identify Your Circumstances: Start by pinpointing the facts affecting you without allowing personal bias to creep in. Acknowledging what is within your control and what isn’t is essential.
2. Examine Your Thoughts: Reflect on your automatic reactions to these circumstances. What are the underlying beliefs fueling these thoughts? Are they serving you or holding you back?
3. Acknowledge Your Feelings: Pay attention to your instinctual responses. From what belief system does the root feeling stem? Understanding how you feel and why allows you to slow impulsiveness so you may observe the emotional roots and expand to connect with situations empathically.
4. Choose Your Action Wisely: Based on your new level of understanding about your inner self, decide on an action that aligns with your desired outcome. Remember, nothing is personal. We are in this together. We are one energy playing with various types of elemental forms.
5. Evaluate Your Results: Reflect on the outcomes after implementing changes. Did your new mindset influence a more positive result? How does connecting with your feelings upgrade your thoughts in connection with your outer reality?
By consistently applying these steps, you can create a habit of thoughtful reflection, empowering you to navigate life’s ups and downs with resilience and grace. As you turn inward and away from over-identifying with sides, you take accountability for your experience.
Conclusion: Embracing the Power of CTFAR
The CTFAR model is a practical tool that can lead to transformative changes in how we live our lives. By consciously shifting our thoughts through self-reflection, we can alter how we feel and act, paving the way for more favorable results. Remember that while we cannot always control our circumstances, we possess the power to observe our feelings that filter through our belief systems to create upgraded thoughts and interactions. Embracing aspects of this model invites empowerment, resilience, and positivity into our daily lives. So, the next time you are overwhelmed by negative feelings in connection to the moment, pause and ask yourself: “What thought can I choose instead?” “What can I let go of?”
Remember, our past does not need to define who we are; the journey of a fulfilling life may begin with a few simple questions.
A daily mantra can be a great part of your self-care routine, for example, “I forgive myself, I love myself, I am enough. I can.”
In peace and healing connections,
Rev Adrian Voss
