Noticing your Mind

Have you ever been so preoccupied while showering that you couldn't remember whether you shampooed? Or been so busy thinking about your to-do list while listening to the radio that you missed a whole news story? Minds love to comment nonstop. When you're busy worry-ing, analyzing problems, or replaying memories, you can lose track of what's happening right before your eyes.

Left unchecked, our mind tends to wander to almost anything but the things we're doing. That's not all bad. Sometimes your mind needs to roam free to rest; our mind gets fatigued by sustained, focused attention. Mind wandering can lead to creativity (Preiss et al. 2016), and if your mind wanders to an engaging topic your mood may even improve (Franklin et al.

2013). But if you're chronically distracted, you'll likely miss out on important mo-ments.

The first step in changing your relationship with your mind is becoming aware of it. If you notice your thought patterns, they can't push you around as much. Let's start by building awareness of your thoughts.

Write about the quality of your mind today. Is it busy? Slow? Calm? Scattered?

Clear? Notice your urge to write the content of what you're thinking. For now, just describe its quality.

Running Commentary:

Time yourself for one minute. Write down all your thoughts. When you're done, step back and observe the content of your mind.

Today’s Practice:

Sometimes being silent can help us tune in to our present experience. For ex-ample, at Thich Nhat Hanh's monastery in France, the monks and nuns encourage engaging in "noble silence" from dinner through breakfast. Noble silence is seen as an opportunity to not have to talk, so people can be more aware of their minds, their bodies, and the present moment.

Today, try eating a meal, taking a walk, or sitting outside in noble silence. Notice the quality and content of your mind, your thoughts, and the world around you.