"In the stillness, I am safe,
In the stillness, I am free,
In the stillness, I am coming home to me."
LeAnn Rimes (2020)
And in the usual manner, this post has been prompted by a recent happening.
In this case, something known as “Earth Hour” took place.
At that time, we were encouraged to spend an hour with the lights turned off.
This was primarily a symbolic gesture, and motivation for contemplation of climate change and other adverse environmental issues.
Its stated aims, however, also include an opportunity to “re-connect” with nature meaningfully.
Taken from the event’s website...
“Let nature power your next moment of calm”
The hitherto words “calm” and “stillness”, are rather resonant with me.
In short, I could do with a lot more of it.
A large source of my mental unrest is having a mind that often seems to be overflowing with jumbled thoughts.
I could do with rather less of them, and slow my life right down, in this respect.
But, why?
Primarily, too much cognitive exertion can lead to a counterproductive increase in my mental fatigue, which often has a significantly negative effect on my mood, and can diminish my ability to think about more important things.
A tendency to over-think can also exacerbate other issues. For example, thinking about unrealistic outcomes of an action can lead to an abundance of caution or (more the case with myself) unnecessary worry.
It also causes problems with planning, decision making, and getting to the heart of an issue. To coin a cliché..
“I can’t see the wood for the trees”
So, what ways do I overthink?
Of course, some of my thoughts are necessary, or otherwise useful, but what about the unnecessary ones? These must be first in line for toning down...
Let’s look at an extremely current example of my own unnecessary thought...
This blog (no, not the whole thing!)...
While I probably don’t illustrate this, I am keen to use precise, grammatical, and correctly punctuated language.
I guess that in my former life as a lawyer, this was very important, but can the same be said of every situation?
NO
Does one of you really care about a superfluous comma or my tendency to boldly bore you!!!
I also tend now towards a use of relatively obscure language. For example, earlier in this blog, I used the expression “cognitive exertion”. What would have been wrong with “thinking”?
All of which is increasing my mental efforts in writing this. So, here’s some stuff that I can cut out for a start!
To provide you with another, much wider example...
I also tend to overthink by dwelling on hypothetical questions, that are often irrelevant/needless. Of course, thoughts can pass unbidden through all our minds. Rather than sticking with them though, it would help if I was able to move on, straight away, and re-devote my thoughts to something more relevant.
So, how can I limit unnecessary thoughts?
I must admit that I don’t find it easy to adopt any direct strategy.
Thinking oneself out of specific thinking!? I am very far from sure about that one...
What does seem to work for me though, is to engage in certain behaviors that seem to provide me with an increased “stillness” and “calm” in my life.
By way of example:
· At the start of every day, I prepare a written planner, setting out what/when I propose to undertake, significant activities during the day.
This is useful as it can counter becoming sidetracked and a failing to engage in something (important), that I ought to have done on that day.
Perhaps more importantly though, it provides me with an opportunity to space out mentally taxing activity; and through allocating each one to a specific block of time, their duration can be managed.
All well and good, but...
Writing it is easy; doing it is harder.
Yes, I sometimes manage to follow the planner, but this isn’t always the case!
My blog provides a good example of this/its resultant problem.
I allocate a limited time slot within most days to working on the blog. In theory this should break down its production into manageable pieces.
In practice though, I tend to ignore this and always decide that it can be done on a later day. I then reach a point of realizing that I haven’t published an entry for weeks (or months!). I will then panic and write the whole post in one or two lengthy sessions.
As you might imagine, this results in a lot of thinking in a short space of time, leading to significant mental fatigue.
So, note to self...
If it’s worth writing it down in the planner, it is worth doing it (and at the time specified)!
· Distracting activities can focus my thoughts on themselves and reduce the space for unnecessary thought. Types of activity which work in this way for me include music and physical exertion
And there’s more...
· I try to incorporate moments of meditation into my routine.
According to a significant US clinical group...
“Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit your emotional well-being...”
Sounds like just the sort of thing that I am looking for. The words include “calm” and might as well, have also incorporated “stillness”.
As some who is quite new to all of this, I find guided meditation to be a good way forward.
I have been tempted to join a class, but books will do fine, for now...
I say that I am “new” to this, but on reflection, this is not entirely true.
Quite early in my post-accident therapy, I was introduced the concept of mindfulness. I have mentioned it before, but in a nutshell, it is a (meditative) reduction of worrying focus, on the unchangeable past, and the uncertain future. Instead, many thoughts are much better directed at the “here and now” – things that we might take for granted or otherwise miss. Many things that we notice with the adoption of a “mindful” approach are truly real and enjoyable and can facilitate our mental wellbeing.
One circumstance in which I feel the particular benefit of this approach is when outdoors. There is a lot that I could say about this, but it is perhaps better said by the author of this web page, so I’ll leave it to them...
https://www.rei.com/blog/fitness/how-to-meditate-outdoors
