something i realize i do during downtime and the weekends
I'm definitely noticing that when I latch onto a project, nearly all else becomes
lost to the project. I guess that's kind of a dramatic way of putting it -
but it's the weekend now, it's just the beginning but I noticed how in the unstructured time
that I have, waiting for therapy to start, and just occupying myself until then, I realized
I started to drill down on the patterns of thought and philosophy (if you could call it that.)
Luckily I was conscious enough to tell myself that 'ok THIS is what you're doing, and if it were
a regular 'school night' you would be busy doing productive things to prepare for the next work day.'
I'm not saying have NO inner ponderings - I just am trying to stop myself - or catch myself - from
getting too far into the weeds so as to make me lose a perspective on the life I have right in front of me.
Better to enjoy some of the time I have, rather than going down in woe and angst in a way that
sends me into a unhappy mystery..
Replies
When I can catch it in the early stages, distraction works for me in keeping myself from tripping down that ruminatious rabbit hole. I keep a supply of distractions on hand for the task, ranging from productive to idiotically frivolous. Stuff I can distract myself with for as short or as long a time as fits the void in my schedule.
Trying to keep myself from inner ponderings is about as pointless as trying to prevent my morning bowel movement. Counterproductive in the extreme. I is what I is and I ain't what I ain't. Still. . . Balance in all things. . .
Every mental break I’ve had, which required hospitalization 3 in patient and 1 outpatient so far in life was a direct result of “unhappy mystery” and feeling futility of life in general. Many combined layers all swirling into mental mayhem, but it’s good practice to stop and wrangle it and catch your balance. Wishing you much peace, Mark, as you sludge through swamps and make way to land again. It’s the weekend, so go easy on yourself. (I’m telling myself the same thing.)
thanks you two champions of the DS!
One of the things I do daily is keep a list of the basics to do when my mind wanders down the space warp, to help me reset the balance.
Good work!