I read the title of this blog in an interview with a musician recently. The singer had suffered from depression and his wife had said this to him when he was struggling with his thoughts. I think she meant we don't have to always believe our spiralling thoughts that are sometimes out of control and inconsistent. I also think she meant your mind does not have the inside track on the truth. It can be wrong and in fact, sometimes it might even offer insights that are positively unfriendly, unhelpful and inaccurate.
It feels counter to what I might normally say. I would normally think we need to hear what our mind is saying, that it is to be valued and to be treated with respect and kindness.
However, while all that can be true, it doesn't mean it will always express itself in helpful ways or that we must act out what it suggests. It certainly doesn't mean we have to entirely trust it. In fact, often it pays to take its suggestions kindly but with some scepticism. Its not always a good judge of what is right for you. In that sense your mind is not always your friend. This is especially the case during times of distress.
In these situations rather than valuing thoughts as insightful and true, its ok to think that today, my mind is not my friend and I choose to reject its recommendations and beliefs. It can be helpful to separate yourself from these thoughts - that there is your thoughts and there is "you". When you do this there is the opportunity to consider your thoughts from a little distance - to choose what to believe.
And this doesn't have to be during a big depressive episode either - it can be during those unhelpful moments of self doubt and imposter syndrome. In those moments its ok to say, when your thoughts turn on you, "that's not helpful and it's not true" and to let the thoughts pass.
I'd recommend hearing out your mind by all means but don't think it knows what's best for you. That power and right remains with you. You choose what is right for you.
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