May 9, 2015
Always The Write Time
Author, Editing, Grief, Happiness, Writing
ambition, assumption, breath, complicated, cyberspace, hope, hot Yoga, let go, monkey mind, pray, regret, rehash, restless, unsettled, worry
Ever get accused of thinking too much? Making assumptions? Complicating things? I’ve heard it said that men’s minds organize thoughts into neat compartments, or boxes, while women’s minds navigate the tangled and vast circuitry of cyberspace. Yet, I take it a step further with “monkey mind.” Unsettled, restless. It only stops jumping around during yoga practice and while I’m sleeping, although I beg to differ with the latter. In the mornings, I awaken tired and cranky. Without ambition. It could be a few health issues I’m dealing with, but mostly it’s a mind that won’t stay still. It worries and plans, it regrets and rehashes, it hopes and prays, it bargains and posits assorted scenarios; it begs me to make changes that my heart, when I’m conscious, refuses to acquiesce. In my post, From the inside out, I talk about how to focus on breath to tame the chatter. But I also think there comes a time to simply let go.
How do you tame a monkey mind?
Image courtesy of AKARAKINGDOMS at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
April 16, 2015
Always The Write Time
Uncategorized
asana, balance, control, declutter, gratitude, guarantees, illness, intention, reading, reorganize, serving, worry, writing, Yoga
After nearly a month of illness at the beginning of the year, I’ve made several lifestyle changes. More sleep; less commitments. More yoga; less worry. More leafy greens; less processed foods. Reading more and writing a new book (which hasn’t made it from my imagination to paper… yet). Getting more organized and less cluttered; spending more time serving others. Doing the good stuff while eliminating the bad stuff, all in the name of balance. I start each day with positive intention; I end each day with gratitude and an asana. But now I’m sick again. Up until January, I had not been sick for over three years. Yet even though I’m doing everything I should be, there are still no guarantees. Once again, the single thing we can control is our response to any given situation. And at the end of the day, we only have three choices. We can tread water (get nowhere), sink (give up) or just keep swimming.
What’s your choice when the water rises?
Image courtesy of arztsamui at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
August 4, 2013
Always The Write Time
Author, Editing, Nontraditional College Graduate, Publishing, scribes @ ASU, Uncategorized, Writing
compartmentalize, conclusions, emotions, feelings, Someday, worry
[Image credit: satit_srihin]
One of my male friends explained to me that guys are better able to compartmentalize their feelings than women are. Apparently they possess the ability to stuff emotions into imaginary boxes and either ignore, or remove them at will. Females, on the other hand, are equipped with a million wires carrying—non-stop—every thought and feeling they’ve ever had. With all I’m currently dealing with, I figured I’d try the box thing. Yes, I know I’m a girl. But if I don’t “shut down,” I end up dwelling on circumstances I cannot change, oftentimes worrying needlessly or jumping to wrong conclusions. Or just thinking too much. Living “outside of the box” allows me to better focus on what I do have control over without getting my wires crossed. And when I need to examine my feelings, I simply repack the appropriate box afterwards. Someday I hope to purge a box or two. But until then, this is my new normal.
How do you keep feelings from becoming distractions?
December 1, 2012
Always The Write Time
Author, Editing, Nontraditional College Graduate, Publishing, scribes @ ASU, Uncategorized, Writing
2012, appetite, faith, goals, imagination, limitations, soul, worry
[Image credit: Tanatat]
Thirty days remain to wrap up the year and our list of goals. I feel pretty good about my own progress, and whatever didn’t get accomplished by December 31st must not have been important. Or, I just wasn’t ready to tackle whatever it was. Instead of resolutions for 2013, however, I plan to adopt the following tenets:
Ten Spiritual Tonics ~ Abraham L. Feinberg
1. Stop worrying. Worry kills life.
2. Begin each day with a prayer. It will arm your soul.
3. Control appetite. Over-indulgence clogs body and mind.
4. Accept your limitations.
5. Don’t envy. It wastes time and energy.
6. Have faith in people. Cynicism sours the disposition.
7. Find a hobby. It will relax your nerves.
8. Read a book a week to stimulate imagination and broaden your views.
9. Spend some time alone for the peace of solitude and silence.
10. Try to want what you have, instead of spending your strength trying to get what you want.
How are your goals looking?
Ever get accused of thinking too much? Making assumptions? Complicating things? I’ve heard it said that men’s minds organize thoughts into neat compartments, or boxes, while women’s minds navigate the tangled and vast circuitry of cyberspace. Yet, I take it a step further with “monkey mind.” Unsettled, restless. It only stops jumping around during yoga practice and while I’m sleeping, although I beg to differ with the latter. In the mornings, I awaken tired and cranky. Without ambition. It could be a few health issues I’m dealing with, but mostly it’s a mind that won’t stay still. It worries and plans, it regrets and rehashes, it hopes and prays, it bargains and posits assorted scenarios; it begs me to make changes that my heart, when I’m conscious, refuses to acquiesce. In my post, From the inside out, I talk about how to focus on breath to tame the chatter. But I also think there comes a time to simply let go.
Always The Write Time Blog 