When do we get a chance to “switch off” from the outside world?
I do my best thinking when I’m driving, and it’s really impractical as I can’t write notes down whilst I’m driving (unless I have a Tesla that can drive itself – just need to find that spare 100k I left lying around).
I was thinking about when we actually get a chance to switch off from the world. I myself am finding it really hard to shut down “chatter” in my brain recently. Whether it’s work worries, anxiety, money, people, stress – just about anything!
I think one of the problems is with modern technology – the internet, smart phones and social media. We’re training our minds to be kept busy, active and constantly consuming information. Whether it’s mindlessly scrolling through Facebook or watching TV like a zombie, our minds are being always stimulated.
Have you ever tried doing nothing for 10 minutes? Like actually nothing. It’s really hard and man does that time go slowly! But even then, can you quiet the voices in your head? Can you stop the worrying, the stressing and all the things that you wished you could be doing instead of nothing for 10 minutes?!
I think for self employed people it’s worse. Sure there are many advantages to being your own boss but one of the huge disadvantages (IMO anyway) is that you never switch off. Yes you can shut your computer down at 5pm every day, but can you stop working? Can you stop thinking about how your going to get the next sale, whether you can afford to pay yourself this month, or fight the urge to check your emails on your phone at 9pm just in case you have anything urgent to deal with?
It occurred to me that even going on holiday, on a beach somewhere sipping a cocktail, I wouldn’t truly switch off. I couldn’t quiet those voices, those worries.
SO how, if you can’t switch off (like me), can you control it?
Even though I don’t do it often enough, my gut tells me meditation is the key. I strongly believe this is the way to get a handle on our thoughts and anxieties. I’m no expert at all and I’m not writing this from a place of success, far from it, I’m merely chucking thoughts down and putting pen to paper fingers to keyboard.
If we can reach a point in meditation where we can slow our brain waves down to a point where we see what’s going on in our lives from a different perspective, that could truly change the way we think – couldn’t it? Because if we separate ourselves from our thoughts, can’t we get a grip on them?
There’s a phrase “you are what you eat” (i’m totally a pizza) but what about “you are what you think”?
If we think a certain way, with certain thoughts, aren’t we just encouraging that to happen? Putting all our focus and energy into the one outcome that we have in our heads?
It’s food for thought (mmm pizza).
And now I’m hungry, NICE ONE STEVE.
So if you’re finding the noises in your head a little ermm, noisy. Try meditation, I am going to YouTube a quick 10 minute and see what happens. Can’t hurt right? It’s only doing nothing for 10 minutes 😉
Vegan Steven 