BE Present

You control your thoughts. YOU control your thoughts. YOU. CONTROL. YOUR. THOUGHTS.

I am a serial over-thinker. And, I am embarrassed to admit that I even think when I drive which means that I drive without music playing 😲. Yes, my kids think this is my most annoying and intolerable habit. Sometimes I am thinking about my to-do list and other times I am thinking about how to solve world issues like poverty, immigration, or gun control. I ruminate about things from the past and I worry about things in the future. I think about my own life, but I also think about the lives of others. All this thinking can sometimes help me to make very sound and reasonable decisions, to be super creative, to be a great empath, and to live a very organized and functional life.

But dang... all that chatter in my mind can be overwhelming. I’ve been reading more and more about how excessive thinking can impact us- our happiness and our health. Excessive mind-chatter is bad and can contribute to anxiety, depression, and even disease. You can read more about that HERE. So, this summer I decided to change. I decided that it was time to clear my mind and take back control of my thoughts.

I’ve mentioned to you before that I named my inner critic ‘Nancy’. (No offense to anyone with that name. It’s simply the name that came to me first!) I’ve been attempting to quiet Nancy for a few years now and I am making a lot of progress! Giving a name/identity to my negative thoughts has enabled my brain to separate them from those that represent the true “me”. It has enabled me to distinguish thoughts from reality. I know that sounds deep, but when you assign the negative thoughts to a pretend 3rd person, your conscious state then separates her from the real you. This allows you to respond to her in the same way you would respond to a friend i.e. with more clarity and compassion.

This summer though I took my self-therapy to a whole new level. Instead of naming or responding to any of my chatter, I simply SHUT IT DOWN! That's not to say that I stopped thinking all together- because, of course, we need to think each day - but, I was able to completely stop all the extra noise by training my mind to stay in the present moment. Let me say that again because it is the key to this whole idea….you have to train your brain to stay in the PRESENT moment.

The way to do this is starts with one simple practice- realize the chatter is occurring and then immediately force yourself to focus on your senses. At that very moment in time...what are you seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling, and hearing? By concentrating on your senses, you quiet the chatter and bring your mind back to the present. With practice, you will eventually be able to simply stop the chatter without having to go through the senses step. Self-discipline and a lot of repetition is crucial! But, also...don't underestimate the power that acknowledging your senses has.

The senses provide so much happiness-inducing stimuli for us and it's a shame that we've gotten so stuck in our busy lives and minds that we often neglect to notice it. When you're in the present you actually see the color of the beautiful blue sky, smell the freshly cut grass, feel the wind on your cheek, and hear the sounds of birds in the trees. Bringing your mind back to the present enables you to experience these gifts and, therefore, provides you with a much happier and healthier mindset. It admonishes the unimportant chatter to a crypt deep in your brain and instead allows you to reap the benefits of these opportunities for joy. Being in the present is a gift for the soul!

Through a lot of conscious practice I was able this summer to redirect my thoughts back to the present moment often and I’m so glad I did. Doing so not only has made me less-stressed and happier, it also enabled me to really notice and admire my daughter’s gorgeous blue eyes as she sat across the dinner table from me. I relished in the softness of my dog’s bellies when I was scratching them- truly experiencing the pleasure I gained from that touch. And, I took my time drinking my morning cup of coffee sipping slowly to really consider and appreciate the taste of a good blend. Sure I’ve noticed these things before, but being present helped me to wholly and genuinely experience the joy of those moments. When your thoughts are racing you can miss these little things in life that are so worth savoring.

So, the next time your thoughts start racing…take control! Remember, YOU control your thoughts! Pause, start to awaken all of your senses, and bring yourself back to the present moment. Decreasing your chatter will result in a calmer YOU and being in the present will allow you to experience more joy resulting in a happier YOU!