Imagine you're unhappily settling into a middle seat on along, cross-country flight and find yourself stuck next to an airplane chitchatter. Your seatmate for the next five hours talks nonstop. He com-plains, criticizes you, judges the airline, and forecasts doom and gloom ahead. At first, you try to ignore him, putting on headphones, but he still won't stop talk-ing. Then you get annoyed and argue back, even telling him to please be quiet, and he still won't stop! So, you distract yourself with the in-flight magazine, and even order an overpriced cocktail to numb out from this experience. But no matter what you do, you're stuck with him.
Guess what! You have a chatty seat-mate with you all the time-your mind!
Your mind narrates your life and rarely stops chatting. And sometimes that chatter consists of unhelpful thinking that's very hard to ignore.
What can you do instead? Allow your chatty seatmate to talk without getting so caught up in what he's saying. Don't let him push you around. Shift your attention to things you care more about.
Become a skillful observer who acts based on your values, not on what your seatmate dictates. Just as the excruciatingly long flight detailed above eventually passes, so, too, does every moment in your life.
Daily Writing: Your Mental Chatter
Write about what your mind has been chattering about today.
What are some of the comments your mind is making about you, your future, the world around you?
Which of these comments are helpful (those you want to listen to)? Which are unhelpful (those you want to disregard)?
Try It Now: Brush Your Teeth
Get up and brush your teeth. Do it even if you already brushed your teeth today.
Your dentist will thank you. While you're brushing, notice how your mind chatters about anything but teeth brushing. Notice your mind complain, comment, and plan, just like the chatty seatmate on the airplane. Can you notice that chattering mind, but not get hooked by it? Can you also look at your teeth in the mirror or focus on getting all those hard-to-reach spots? Focus on brushing your teeth with intention, letting your chatty seatmate become background noise.
Today's Practice
Pay special attention to your mind, the chatty seatmate. Pick one task you are doing today (such as showering, dressing, or eating) and notice the thoughts that show up without getting hooked by them.
Be on the lookout for the real doozies— the thoughts that trip you up and pull you away from the task at hand. Can you notice these thoughts while also bringing attention to what you care about in this task?
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