Take A Pause
You know that today is only fleeting, it will pass in a moment. And bring you on to another day, we call that tomorrow from here, but soon it will be today.
There is always a rush to get it over, to make it pass because in some way the quicker it moves on the sooner we can get to the next today. That’s tomorrow – but it won’t be because by then it will be today.
This is the cycle that we all live in. And endless one of focusing forward of wishing this will pass and the next thing will be better. A fast moving groundhog day of never being here and always hoping for there.
Our brains are partly to fault for this. They have benefited from some powerful evolutionary forces that keep us occupied, only flagging up the danger (that’s why you get scared by a leaf when walking in the woods). For the rest of the time you are kept on autopilot.
Our brains do that because it thinks it keeps us safe. And you subconscious brain is quick, far quicker than your thinking brain. Just for a moment, can you imagine your ‘thinking brain’ getting you geared up to cross the road or drive a car.
Moving hormones around your system, moving muscles in the right order, interpreting sight, hearing and movement. Coordinating that to stop you getting squished. Monitoring all of the stuff going on. Judging distance, speeding up your movement. All in real time. All without you actually having to think.
That is how powerful that ball of mush you call your brain is.
It stops you getting squished on automatic pilot.
That same function also means you become alerted to the off junction you need on the motorway, despite the fact that the rest of the journey has been a blur.
The same function that thinks that leaf on the path is a massive spider or a snake’s head.
The same function that makes time fly.
The opposite of autopilot is taking notice, is seeing the shapes in the clouds, the funny faces, cows or pigs floating in the sky. The opposite is noticing how a day drags, or hearing the birds singing, or how badly a Bumblebee flies, how ornate a flower is.
Taking notice of these things, if done purposely brings you back in the room, back to your life. And when you start to notice everything changes.
You will see patterns, you will see opportunity, you will notice trends and movements that will make sense.
Try this today. Pause, just stop what you are doing. Get comfortable with you. Take a deep breath and clear your mind. Ask yourself, I wonder what my next thought will be? Listen to the crap that comes up – then let it slip by. Make a note of whatever it is that’s worrying you, ask what can you do about it.
Don’t take any action. Just listen to the answers. And then, just for today, turn up to your life. Focus on every bit of it. That person in the office, that pen on your desk, the comments made by others. Don’t judge just turn up and listen. You will be amazed at what you learn.
From today, take the advice from the back of the shampoo bottle – wash, rinse and repeat.
You will learn stuff, you will understand more.
When you are ready to get a shimmy on with some of this in your life. Get in touch.