Rather than continue with the usual happy, refined story temporarily fixing the original sad or angry previous chapter in my life, my new approach instead is to let it all play out anyway but without taking any of it too seriously. Why? I’m simply programmed the way I am, and I couldn’t stop these processes even if I tried, including the part where I take things seriously. I have realised that trying to stop a life-long trait is only feeding/fuelling that trait, helping it to grow even stronger. Whereas, understanding a life-long trait by giving it my fullest attention is something fundamentally different.
This time, under a new light, I could clearly see these total thought movements of mine in action. With greater awareness than ever before, my sensors tuned in to catch wind of the early signals that cause shifts in mental direction. When I know my frown is about turn upside down or if I see myself heading up into the heavenly clouds from the dark depths below, I become mindful. I switch modes, moods, and states with much more care than previously. I don’t run wild like I used to or get carried away. Instead, I operate in the true Mindless-Mindful hybrid way.
By overseeing the full spectrum of sensations derived from each fragment or story that my mind produced, I was able to tighten my screws in a whole new way, and I slowly got my power back. Beating all the odds, I returned to almost full-time sanity which brought forward a normal life again (as normal as one can get).
Furthermore, I haven’t entirely disregarded traditional psychology and Mindfulness as that wouldn’t be practical. If anything, I’ve reformed and strengthened these programs to suit my particular cogs. I have tweaked myself and adapted into what I feel the General Mind had missed or overlooked when devising their philosophy.
Consider The Following
Think about a mind having complete oversight and seeing every exquisite detail, i.e., seeing the mental idling up close, which is continual thinking with very few breaks in between. This includes observing the day-to-day psychological actions and reactions that trigger and move human attention in different directions, thereby composing the many states of mind one cycles through. By observing background processes that are a part of running life, we are expanding our consciousness. The only downside is that it can be frustrating, but only at first as the challenge comes with rewards that are certainly worth the wait.
New Challenge:
Coping With New Noise
Now that you have been tweaked with a homemade screwdriver, let’s call this overall mental activity ‘Noise’. Upon accepting this challenge, get ready for some new noise to play out.
The noise in our lives is both a human product and byproduct all rolled into one. Some of it is obviously crucial (helpful thoughts), but most of it isn’t really necessary (unhelpful thoughts), instead being an annoyance if not an actual detriment. Unfortunately, there is no real quick fix to help balance the two long term. In fact, the more you try to stop the byproduct side of it with conscious energy, the more it spills over in my experience. This is why it takes another approach to minimise the bad side while maximising goodness.
And although it sounds tedious and cumbersome to observe each mental process at every moment of life, especially regarding the ones deeply rooted below the conscious layer, there really is no going back once I’m activated. Typically, at first, I will condemn myself over and over for traits I don’t like seeing up close. Like a yoyo, I’ll fly up and down, left, right and around sparking all types of responses, emotions and frustrations. But as time goes on the noise slowly and naturally subsides, and I find my way to steady ground.
Today, I don’t beat myself up as much over silly habits picked up. Most quirks and idiosyncrasies brought to my fullest attention don’t emotionally register the way that they used to anymore because I’m now aware that I’m simply one of many humans who do the same thing. That is, I react according to my life exposures, including NEW exposures, and these built-in bits and pieces overall.
Thank God I now take things far less seriously.