DO LESS, THINK BETTER

A Coming Storm, North Carolina Coast 

There's a lot going on in the world that isn't good.  I don't need to name it.  Follow the news, open your inbox, talk to your children, read your own heart.  

So, we look for ways to foster our wellbeing.  I used to think that sounded too new age, or impractical.  With kids and parents and work, who has the time?  And many don't. 

But remember as a child lying on the floor looking at the ceiling?  Or on the ground looking at the clouds?  When my schoolwork was done, I used to put on a record, stretch out and daydream until I was called for the next chore (lay the table, sweep up the dog hair, feed the bird).  In those days busy held no status; we didn't feel guilty for--if we could--letting our minds wander.  That's when we got our ideas.  

Many experts say that's still true:  do less and think better (note:  better not more).  They make pausing and contemplation a path to wellbeing.  There seem to be lots of ways to turn down the noise and give our minds a chance to wander.  We know that moving our bodies helps to clear our minds, especially activities we do outside in nature. I gather brush.  That's about as nothing as you can get.  My dad asked me, "What do you think about when you're clearing brush?"  "I think about clearing brush," I answered.   

Noticing ordinary things, rather than those that arouse strong emotions, helps to focus an overthinking mind.  Noticing little things can deepen our perception and clear our head.  So can enjoying pockets of silence. Our minds respond to stimuli, and while we might be uncomfortable in silent spaces, think about how hard it is to have a fruitful conversation with a friend in a noisy place.  We must find silent places to hear our friends' serious news or share our own. We cannot thrive without silence.  

Finally, apparently, everyone has intrusive thoughts (not just me).  A way to calm these is to notice and label them:  "this is my thought about when I felt alone and not valued. That time is over.  I survived it."  I can vouch for this:  after they are labelled, intrusive thoughts start to disappear.  Isn't that nice? 

Calm Waters, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska