Everyone reading this knows what it's like to worry or fret or fixate on something. In business and our personal lives we face problems everyday. Whether you are thinking, or should I say obsessing, about a date, a job, or even an argument you had a year ago, we all know what it feels like when our mind hijacks our life. Everything takes a back seat as thoughts run amok, out of control. In Buddhism we call this monkey mind, because, like a monkey jumping here and there and everywhere, our thoughts are all over the place.
What are the signs you may be afflicted with monkey mind?
5 signs you've got a monkey on your back, or mind in this case.
1) You can't sleep. Yep, that monkey is keeping you up at night, and it's constant chatter won't let you fall asleep. (Sham wow..that sounds pretty good.)
2) People are speaking to you and you don't hear a word they say. (You're too busy having fake discussions with your brain, to pay attention.)
3) You don't have the energy to exercise...or get off the couch. (You're exhausted from your mind running 24/7.)
4) You constantly think of things you could have done or should have said. (You've got a case of the coulda, woulda, shouldas.)
5) You look for distractions, food, drink, sex, etc. (If I replace one problem with another, I'm the one in control...ummm...no)
If you have these symptoms, then sorry to say, there's a monkey loose in your mind, and it's overstayed its welcome. Time to call animal control.
So what can you do? Face the situation head on. What is it that has your mind running on a treadmill? The sooner you face it and come to a resolution, the sooner your mind, and you, can relax. It may not be easy, it may not be comfortable, but putting it off only hurts you.
Face your fears. The worst almost never comes to pass. What we imagine is usually much worse than the reality. When you let your fears control your outlook, you start to create what you fear most. Shine a light into the shadows and you see there is no substance. Bring your awareness and consciousness to the problem, and you will also see there is no substance to the monkey mind. Face your fears, ground your emotions and address what you need to. It's the only way forward.