Thoughts as not self

[Goofaholix]

I'd like to not identify with thoughts but they stick to the heart unless I relax an be aware but this takes almost too much effort.

Learning any new habit takes too much effort in the beginning, if you keep making the effort consistently over time eventually it becomes more natural and effortless.

[befriend]

This is a good point thank you Buddha said to end I making seeing the five aggregates as impermanent suffering not self.

[Kumara]

How do you let thoughts not affect you if a person thinks a good thought they will feel good if they think a bad thought they will feel bad, It takes effort but I notice when A bad thought pops up if I relax and pay gentle attention to it I see it as not self and don't identify with it I can see it as anicca Dukkha Anatta. I think nibbana is not being affected or afflicted by any experience. I've been meditating doing relaxed choiceless awareness and when I have an emotion like worry come up I felt like I was space or my experience was of one of spacious awareness rather than worry the worry didn't dominate my being because there was so much space there. I'd like to not identify with thoughts but they stick to the heart unless I relax an be aware but this takes almost too much effort.

You're doing quite well, except when you want the thoughts to go away.