Let’s do a mindful check-in: Do you have a busy mind that is going nonstop?
Ever feel like you could use a break from thinking?
Like, if you could just shut down the constant chatter going on up there, maybe you could relax and stop feeling like you’re on a hamster wheel?
You’re not alone. This seems to be the norm for a lot of people.
We have busy lives with busy minds.
Many people have been living life this way for so long, they really can’t remember it being any other way, let alone feel like they have a choice in the matter.
I remember when someone first told me that I could observe my thoughts. When I heard this, I thought to myself, what does that even mean?
I was so busy pushing my thoughts away and judging them; it was never-ending, until I started to explore observing my thoughts through meditation and a mindfulness practice.
I learned that when I pushed my thoughts away, I was giving them more power, keeping them alive. This concept of ‘what you resist persists’ was also completely new to me but began to make a lot of sense.
Sometimes it can feel like there is a committee in our head with all different voices and opinions. There’s the inner critic, the cheerleader and on and on.
When we stop and can identify all these voices and opinions, we gain awareness that this overthinking disconnects us from the moment, inner peace and fulfilment.
All this thinking and busyness creates mental and physical stress. It prevents us from really living life.
Now, so many people even find themselves stressed about being stressed.
For example, they may have the thought “I’m so stressed.” Then another thought, “What’s wrong with you? Why can’t you just relax?” and then there will be another thought “Because I can’t. I’m always stressed!” And on, and on it goes.
What if, we observed or noticed our thoughts?
Are you up for practicing this together this week?
Give this a try:
* Set the intention to notice your thoughts.
* Whenever you become aware you aren’t present, you are present.
* You are aware that you are caught up in a thought.
In this gap or space..
* You are noticing the thought or observing the thought rather than thinking the thought.
This is where choice lies.
In this moment of awareness, say to yourself… ‘That’s interesting the mind is thinking that’.
There is no judgment or pushing the thought away, simply noticing.
Take a mindful breath or two.
Bring your focus back to whatever task you are doing.
Every time we pause, we are choosing to be present. We are training the mind to be more present.
And this is how change happens - one simple choice at a time.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.
Diane