"Get out of your head" is important encouragement/advice generally, and it is more important than ever. But intellectuals will by their vocation/avocation be in their heads a lot. You are an intellectual, as many of your readers will be. Perhaps some time in the future you will devote a post to the subset of persons who face impediments to getting out of their heads, and the plural is used because some persons face two: We are introverted by nature and because of how we interact with the world (in the abstract, as intellectuals).
I'll bet you can help with that--not that I need any, of course.
Good point! It's a short post and not very diagnostic. The "being in your head too much" in the post is more about neurotic rumination than "thinking about ideas." Like you, I think a lot, but not about myself in a ruminating, neurotic way, and that's a critical distinction.
Tony Campolo, theologican, sociologist and author, (who recently passed) is excellent at pointing out the purpose that Jesus came - to establish the kingdom of God here on earth, modeling and showing us how. The parables are full of it, and there are about 5000 verses about us caring for the oppressed. This is an not inward, but an outward mission. The evangelicals get it wrong when they focus on theological details and excluding those that don't agree, and the personal piety that does not impact the oppressed... but really builds walls, judgement, the anger and hatred we are seeing. Love is inclusive. We are changed internally when we focus on building the kingdom of God here on earth.
In all things, one must focus on balance. Or as Buddha learned and taught, The Middle Way.
DBT counseling is really quite similar.
ICF, Certified Life Coaching credentials (I am a retired 23 years grateful Coach) trains Coaches to support clients along these non- binary, awareness of black and white type of thinking and decision making actions.
It's always interesting to me to see other views and talk about this kind of subject. Sometimes referred to as overthinking. It really is about the wrong focus, imo, because we will never stop the brain from working it's works.
However, it is healthy and valuable to look at some of the meditative types of training that one can do for oneself.
Calming the mind is how I view it. There are many varieties of meditation . One method does not work for all, in my opinion.
Most of us aren't about to go into a cave and commit our lives to total immersion into a meditation practice.
Again,example of the Middle Path/Way. Even 5 or 10 minutes of practice will help one see , firstly just how the mind works. Being awake/aware of this fact is the starting point. It is The Human Condition . it is so for every human being on this planet.
Perhaps obtain some meditative training and feedback for a while , to get you started.
I find personally as do many other trained professionals, writing my thoughts tends to eventually calm them.
When I see I have nothing else to say, I will realize that I have sometimes come to some valuable conclusion that I can use going forward in my life. Or not.
In this case without conclusion,
I may end the writing with :
"and everything else..."
This gives the brain the message that I am including anything I might later think about.
(Omage here, to Dr Maria Nemeth, my brilliant, loving, generous and spiritual Teacher and Mentor)
Regardless, I will have an experience of having said it out loud, so to speak. And this has its definite benefits if only to see how sometimes crazy my thoughts are. :-)
PS: I mostly don't stop to, correct my spelling, punctuation,etc.
Often times whether writing or speaking out loud in dictation, I come to this place, where the calm is palpable. I often see a mystical component is even present.
Journaling is an amazingly positive tool. For those who don't care to write one can do something as simple as dictating out loud, what one is thinking.
We humans have a need to feel heard.
One might do this by talking to another willing, supportive person as well. A professional or not.
There is an ancient Jewish practice called "hitbodedut" that has a similar quality. Talking out loud to G-d.
As I used to say to Coaching clients, don't take my word for it, try it yourself and see what is your own experience.
In the How of Happiness Sonja Lyubomirsky says many of the things our mothers told us like don’t ruminate are practices that increase our happiness. These are concrete doable practices. A therapist who worked my friend’s anger at her mother ultimately killed our friendship.
"Get out of your head" is important encouragement/advice generally, and it is more important than ever. But intellectuals will by their vocation/avocation be in their heads a lot. You are an intellectual, as many of your readers will be. Perhaps some time in the future you will devote a post to the subset of persons who face impediments to getting out of their heads, and the plural is used because some persons face two: We are introverted by nature and because of how we interact with the world (in the abstract, as intellectuals).
I'll bet you can help with that--not that I need any, of course.
Good point! It's a short post and not very diagnostic. The "being in your head too much" in the post is more about neurotic rumination than "thinking about ideas." Like you, I think a lot, but not about myself in a ruminating, neurotic way, and that's a critical distinction.
Tony Campolo, theologican, sociologist and author, (who recently passed) is excellent at pointing out the purpose that Jesus came - to establish the kingdom of God here on earth, modeling and showing us how. The parables are full of it, and there are about 5000 verses about us caring for the oppressed. This is an not inward, but an outward mission. The evangelicals get it wrong when they focus on theological details and excluding those that don't agree, and the personal piety that does not impact the oppressed... but really builds walls, judgement, the anger and hatred we are seeing. Love is inclusive. We are changed internally when we focus on building the kingdom of God here on earth.
Well said. Thank you, Melinda.
In all things, one must focus on balance. Or as Buddha learned and taught, The Middle Way.
DBT counseling is really quite similar.
ICF, Certified Life Coaching credentials (I am a retired 23 years grateful Coach) trains Coaches to support clients along these non- binary, awareness of black and white type of thinking and decision making actions.
It's always interesting to me to see other views and talk about this kind of subject. Sometimes referred to as overthinking. It really is about the wrong focus, imo, because we will never stop the brain from working it's works.
However, it is healthy and valuable to look at some of the meditative types of training that one can do for oneself.
Calming the mind is how I view it. There are many varieties of meditation . One method does not work for all, in my opinion.
Most of us aren't about to go into a cave and commit our lives to total immersion into a meditation practice.
Again,example of the Middle Path/Way. Even 5 or 10 minutes of practice will help one see , firstly just how the mind works. Being awake/aware of this fact is the starting point. It is The Human Condition . it is so for every human being on this planet.
Perhaps obtain some meditative training and feedback for a while , to get you started.
I find personally as do many other trained professionals, writing my thoughts tends to eventually calm them.
When I see I have nothing else to say, I will realize that I have sometimes come to some valuable conclusion that I can use going forward in my life. Or not.
In this case without conclusion,
I may end the writing with :
"and everything else..."
This gives the brain the message that I am including anything I might later think about.
(Omage here, to Dr Maria Nemeth, my brilliant, loving, generous and spiritual Teacher and Mentor)
Regardless, I will have an experience of having said it out loud, so to speak. And this has its definite benefits if only to see how sometimes crazy my thoughts are. :-)
PS: I mostly don't stop to, correct my spelling, punctuation,etc.
Often times whether writing or speaking out loud in dictation, I come to this place, where the calm is palpable. I often see a mystical component is even present.
Journaling is an amazingly positive tool. For those who don't care to write one can do something as simple as dictating out loud, what one is thinking.
We humans have a need to feel heard.
One might do this by talking to another willing, supportive person as well. A professional or not.
There is an ancient Jewish practice called "hitbodedut" that has a similar quality. Talking out loud to G-d.
As I used to say to Coaching clients, don't take my word for it, try it yourself and see what is your own experience.
And may we all have a blessed day...
In the How of Happiness Sonja Lyubomirsky says many of the things our mothers told us like don’t ruminate are practices that increase our happiness. These are concrete doable practices. A therapist who worked my friend’s anger at her mother ultimately killed our friendship.
Oops.."homage", not omage.
PLUS I didnt go into the huge subject of Buddhist referred Monkey Mind.
I am unable to take time right now to outline a Coaching prospective on the subject of the amygdala brain ( a source of Monkey Mind). Still an
excellent resource is: Gregg Vanourek' s writing:"Why Monkey Mind Is Worse Than You Think— And What to Do About It".
https://greggvanourek.com/why-monkey-mind-is-worse/#:~:text=Take%20breaks%20in%20between%20activities,Even%20short%20breaks%2