The human mind can do some amazing things. It can keep us safe, overcome challenges and help us grow. It can also trap us in a web of obsessive thinking during times when it’s not needed. When this happens, which happens to be most of the time, we miss out on a lot of great things that can help us experience peace, joy and happiness. Listen as the guys share their thoughts on the subject of when and where to think or not think.
monkey mind
In this podcast, the guys take on a topic suggested by audience members – obsessive thinking. Listen as they share why obsessive thinking serves no meaningful purpose and what you can do to be free of it so you live a more peaceful and happy life.
Monkey Mind is a term meaning “unsettled; restless; capricious; whimsical; fanciful; inconstant; confused; indecisive; uncontrollable”. In this episode you will learn that the Monkey Mind is something that all human beings have. Rick and Keith will discuss their challenges with it, how they try to manage it, the cost of not getting a handle on it and the valuable payoff of working at it.
Rick’s References:
Check out Daring to Live Fully, Marelisa Fabrega’s blog. She is a lawyer and entrepreneur and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., as well as a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center. On her blog she offers 10 excellent suggestions on taming the “monkey mind.”
Also see, Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety, Daniel Smith’s humorous take on conquering mind numbing anxiety.
www.headspace.com Smart Phone app. Live a happier, healthier life with just a few minutes of meditation a day using the Headspace app.
Jon Kabat-Zinn is Professor of Medicine Emeritus and creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Kabat-Zinn was a student of Buddhist teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh and Zen Master Seung Sahn and a founding member of Cambridge Zen Cen ter. His practice of yoga and studies with Buddhist teachers led him to integrate their teachings with scientific findings. He teaches mindfulness, which he says can help people cope with stress, anxiety, pain, and illness. The stress reduction program created by Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness-based stress re duction (MBSR), is offered by medical centers, hospitals, and health maintenance organizations.
Keith References:
Eckhart Tolle www.eckarttolle.com. Echart Tolle has published several best selling books on consciousness and living life fully present. He explains how we experience external reality either through our state of consciousness or unconsciousness. Challenges remain because all forms are fleeting. The external world is the source of transformation; it is not here to satisfy us. When we know ourselves as the underlying consciousness, the presence, true satisfaction arises. New York Times has dubbed Eckhart Tolle as “the most popular spiritual author in the United States”, and the Watkins Review also listed him as “the most spiritually influential person in the world.” Eckhart Tolle’s #1 New York Times bestseller The Power of Now (translated into 33 languages) and the highly acclaimed follow-up A New Earth, are widely regarded as two of the most influential spiritual books of our time, selling collec tively over 10 million copies.
Amit Sood, M.D., M. Sc. with Mayo Clinic and author of The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living. Dr. Sood is serves as Chair of Mayo Mind Body Initiative. His amazing website is www.stressfree.org. Check out his Ted Talk on visualization and You Tube video on managing stress.
There is NO WAY I can workout this morning! I need more sleep. My body aches and needs to recover. I have a big presentation today and need the extra time to prepare. I didn’t get to bed until late, only slept a few hours and have a long day ahead. The list goes on, all trying to justify in my mind why I can’t workout this morning. For most people, this kind of chatter wins. And, to be honest, if not for my community it would have kept me in bed and out of the gym on many a day.
This is how the “monkey mind” works. Over the last year I have been working on a multitude of projects outside of my regular 8 to 5 job; marketing, newsletters, blogs, cooking videos, fitness certifications and giving limitless support to anyone within our community who wants it. I am also a student again always working on an assignment with a due date. Many nights I am working on my computer until late. When I finally get to bed, and the alarm goes off 4 to 5 hours later, the monkey mind begins right on cue. I think, “there is no way that I can do my normal workout. I should just go back to sleep. Yes, this would be good for my body.” Knowing that I have workout partners who are depending on me and knowing that they will miss me, my chatter eventually turns to, “Okay, I’ll just show up but I won’t workout.” As I’m driving to the gym my chatter turns to, “Well, I’ll start out and just see what I can do.” One hundred percent of the time I complete a full workout that meets with the standards that I expect from myself. And, this always surprises me, every time.
Here are five ways to shut down your monkey mind so you can stay true to your goals.
- Visualize. Picture yourself going through a strong workout and leaving the gym with a feeling accomplishment.
- Enjoy the present. Forget about the past and don’t try to predict the future. The future is the product of our present thinking and actions.
- Listen to that monkey. Is that really you or who you want be? Take control and quiet those thoughts that you know will not serve you well. I can remember saying to my friend, Keith, I don’t communicate well on the phone or I’m not a good reader. This was my monkey mind. Keith helped me to silence it by telling me that I will become what I say. Take a step outside of your mind and really listen to what you are saying. Only then can you recognize it and change it.
- Meditate. This is a hard one for me. How can one possibly quiet the mind when it so easily wanders from one thought to the next? I believe the secret is found in the power to concentrate and this takes practice. I will concentrate on my breath – slowly in and out. There should be no words, images or thoughts. This cleanses the mind and allows you to be more alert, focused and powerful. It takes practice.
- Commit. If I know I need to be at a workout, whether it is to support someone else or to stay committed to my own goals, I make it non-negotiable. In my mind it is not an option to miss. And, with the commitment, you can sometimes work it backwards. Since, I will be getting up at 3:15am to eat breakfast before a 4:15am workout, I better get to bed by 8:15pm so that I can get the 7 hours of sleep that I need for this workout.
Does any of this sound familiar? Do you have a monkey mind? Pick one way to shut it down from the above list and see how your mind quiets itself. You will have so much more mental alertness for things that really need it!
Amy