Are you an obsessive thinkaholic?
IS thinking stealing your energy, making you sick or hampering your personal effectiveness?
Is all your energy directed on worrying instead of living?
Are you so caught up in your thoughts that you are no longer connected with the reality of what is going on around you?
Many people the world over have become slaves to their minds; hidden behind their social masks are regrets from the past or endless indecision stemming from fears of the future. If you find yourself spending an unreasonable amount of time mulling things over, twisting things around in your head, examining, questioning repeatedly the chances are that you are an over-thinker – a thinkaholic!
I have observed many people over the years and it saddens me to see so many people paralysed by their minds. I see them walking through parks, driving through countrysides and can take an educated guess as to the minority of people who are soaking up the vividness and beauty of life that surrounds them. Instead, running through their minds are thoughts; at first they may think about what to make for dinner that night and then this leads to a stream of more thought opening the floodgates of their mind.
For example, perhaps they may think I will make pasta this evening, but is there enough sauce in the fridge? I’m sure I bought some last time I went shopping - mind you I am so forgetful these days - any wonder I am so tired and stressed these days. I never get any time to myself what with the kids and work. My partner hardly notices me, what’s wrong with me? I wish I won the lotto, I don’t like my job and as for my manager, what did he mean the other day when he said that I did not give him the right information, who does he think he is?
And on and on your mind drives you and all the while you have disconnected from living your life at that moment when you walk through the park and drive through the countryside. Missing out on all that is good and beautiful in life – sharing in the fun and joy of kids growing up, the array of shrubs and plants that are abundant, the kind and gently smiles of others in passing. If only people were more aware and awake to their lives.
Many people live their lives like this and miss out on everything that unfolds at the present time. They continue to obsess about their thoughts each day, each week and become pre-occupied about how others make them feel or how they feel about others.
Disappointments and resentments take over as the desire to be right and to prove others wrong becomes their main focus. Yet none of that will matter when we are on our deathbed.
The choices we make for our thinking today will either motivate us, bring us peace and love or they do not. To live a better and happier life realise that you are not your mind.
You can choose your thoughts by learning to challenge those that hurt you and hold you back. In the wise words of Gandhi ‘You must be the change you want to see’. Carpe diem.