"There's a saying, my friend: Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today, today is a gift, and that is why we call it the Present."
Have you ever tried to fall asleep and your mind is racing 100 miles per hour? Going off the rails like a Crazy Train. Wacky random stuff that makes no sense. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to shut it off? Or, at least turn down the volume? If you are having trouble falling asleep try sleeping naked. It really does help many people.
It’s estimated that we have somewhere between 60,000-80,000 thoughts per day. Sadly, a lot of them are a repeat of previous thoughts, i.e. rumination. If the majority of your thoughts are negative then you have a problem that should be addressed. Your brain can’t run at warp speed 24/7. It needs a break. Studies have shown that high-stress levels are associated with disease and poor health.
Taking time to quiet your mind can lead to more peace and productivity, not to mention that it can also boost your creativity. Give your brain a rest as often as you can.
What causes an overactive mind? It can be different for different people but there are some common issues. Mental noise, or chatter, can arise from various sources, such as work or academic stress, interpersonal conflicts, financial worries, traumatic situations, past trauma, or significant life changes.
For some people it boils down to worry and rumination . It doesn't do any good to worry about the past. It can't be changed. Worrying about what may or may not happen in the future can be a slippery slope. Focus on the things that you can control. Prioritize potential outcomes. The Sweet Meteor of Death (SMOD) might vaporize the planet but is worrying about it helpful? Instead of worrying try planning and preparing.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
In fact, it is useful to filter your thoughts by the criteria, “Is it helpful”? When a thought pops into your head decide if it is helpful. If it is then let it go and move on. If it's not helpful then kick it to the curb, banish it from your noggin forever more and move on. Don't let the same negative thoughts play themselves over and over inside your head. You can fight back against the negativity with positive self-talk.
"Worry is a misuse of imagination." Link
If you are worried about something ask yourself:
Is this going to matter in a week or month or year?
By worrying, am I handling a problem or creating one?
How will this help me?
Are my worries valid?
Can I do something to help myself?
Can I also think of positive possibilities?
Can I spend this mental energy in a better way?
The things that you think are so important today won’t matter a hill of beans next week or next year. Keep things in perspective. As they say, in the end we are all dead. A hundred years from now all of your petty self-important problems won’t matter.
Like the initial quote above implies, the only time that is available to you is NOW. The past and future don't actually exist. At least not anywhere other than inside your own head.
Be here now!
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. It means focus on the now and forget all of the crap swirling around in your head.
Most people can only maintain a single point of focus. Choose wisely what that point of focus is. Focusing on the now is one technique to calm the mind and reduce the incessant negative inner chatter.
Breathing techniques can be used to control both the mind and body. They can be used to calm the mind and to reduce stress. For example the 478 breathing technique.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a form of pranayama, or breath regulation, that involves inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds. It's based on an ancient yogic method developed by Dr. Andrew Weil.
This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety and/or help people get to sleep. It is also very useful for reducing stress. I used it to deal with being nervous when speaking to large groups of people. It worked.
Centering is another excellent way to reduce stress, relax and fall asleep. Centering teaches you to focus on the here and now like mindfulness. It can take power away from outside concerns and negative thoughts, and help you to remain stable and grounded.
Ever felt overwhelmed by your own thoughts? Like your mind is a noisy place full of incessant chatter. One thought leads to another and another… You try to focus on the present moment, but your attention wanders far away. This phenomenon is known as “the monkey mind”; a state of inner restlessness and distraction.
You may experience a restless mind every now and then; everyone does. However, in this day and age, the constant influx of information tends to intensify the monkey mind. So, with ads, news, and social media posts competing for your attention, it’s difficult to settle your mind on a single thing for more than a few minutes. This leads to a lack of productivity, difficulty making decisions, and an inability to find serenity.
Luckily, there are many helpful activities and techniques for calming the monkey mind. Follow the link to discover the most efficient ways to channel your attention and achieve clarity. Here is a link to additional information to help you tame your Monkey brain.
Positive imagery is a great way to get things under control. Positive imagery is a mind-body technique that involves evoking positive mental imagery to help invoke a positive effect. This relaxation technique can be helpful for calming the body, relieving stress, and combating feelings of anxiety.
Positive imagery can quickly calm your body and simultaneously relax your mind. It's pleasant to practice and not overly difficult or intimidating to learn. It can help you de-stress in minutes and can also be a useful strategy for maintaining resilience toward stress during difficult times. It’s virtually as easy as indulging in a vivid daydream, and with practice, this technique can help you to access your inner wisdom better. Positive imagery is a stress-relieving technique and, with practice, can be done just about anywhere.
It sounds silly but the adult coloring book craze has some merit, probably by focusing attention on a specific task. There’s not a lot of research on coloring, but a couple of studies have found connection between drawing and stress reduction. Other people may count this as a way to focus their minds. These are all subtle ways of focusing on a thing or activity other than our rambling thoughts.
For those who like it, running can be a great way to focus attention on the action, and the repetition of footsteps (of course, for those who hate running, other exercises are probably better).
Distraction may work, but you have to be careful. “Distraction can be a simple way of diverting your thoughts to an activity, thought or emotion that takes away the negative thought,” says Serani. “For some, distraction, like listening to music, if your thoughts are negative, going for a run or talking about a memory that makes you happy can be an easy technique.” I used to run 30 miles per week and I loved it.
Do you have a personal mantra? I’m not a big fan of reciting a mantra but it can help to distract your monkey brain from whatever is actually bothering you. You can create your own personal mantra. I did. I live with just me and the two dogs so they are the most important thing in my life. My mantra is, “I love my dogs”. Whenever I need to rein in the incessant and useless brain chatter, I just tell myself that. I love my dogs. It brings me back to earth. There are some useful suggestions on creating a personal mantra at the link.
Some things that can help you relax and calm your mind include practicing gratitude, journaling, going for a walk, pets, gardening, healthy diet, cooking, exercise, relaxing music, helping others, meditation, candles/aromatherapy, reading a book, watching a movie, pottering around the house and building a self-care toolkit.
Here are some ways to quiet your mind as suggested by Artificial Intelligence:
Focus on the present: Try to focus on what's happening right now, instead of the past or future.
Take deep breaths: Focus on counting while you inhale and exhale.
Practice meditation: Meditation can help you relax and clear your mind of stressful thoughts. You can try guided meditation or silent meditation.
Practice gratitude: You can express gratitude to a friend or family member, write down a list of things you're grateful for, or meditate on gratitude.
Try other activities: You can try listening to music, going for a walk, or spending time in nature. You can also try occupying your hands with a coloring book or other activity.
Use mantras: You can repeat a mantra to help take your mind off racing thoughts.
Counter negative thoughts: You can try positive affirmations or progressive muscle relaxation.
There are a lot of tricks and techniques that can help reduce mind chatter, but none will be effective all the time. Sometimes you have to forcibly remind yourself that the mind is built to chatter. Think of all the times the fears that your mind comes up with haven’t actually materialized. There might be some small solace in remembering that.
And the good news is, as the science is showing more and more, that the brain can in fact rewire itself, with some practice, over time. The methods listed above are all ways to help it do this, so that in time the chattering will be less loud, and quiet down more quickly, with smaller and smaller effect.
These are great tips, thanks!
Thank you Cygnusx1
I miss this type of helpful wellness ideas and positive solution.
Remember. Eckart Toille. The power of Now. Loved that book. People still go to yoga and meditate like crazy.
But there used to be so many more online conversations about this.
I literally can’t remember the last time a read something this positive.
Good Stuff
Much appreciated