Mind Control

I know what you’re thinking. Why would you title this blog post mind control? What are you getting at? What do you know about mind control?

If you’re not thinking any of those things because of the title, then I have failed to control your mind.

Actually, the only mind I am going to talk about controlling is my own. No, I am not saying you are going to control my mind. I am saying, I am controlling my own mind. Which then your comeback may be, “well duh, Christa, you have control over your own mind.” But keep reading. I promise, there is a point.

How much control do we really have over our own minds? If I tell you to think about a pink polar bear, how many of you are now thinking about a pink polar bear? Pause from reading and try and stop thinking about that pink polar bear. Have you stopped? Do any of you remember the game you’re supposed to forget you’re playing and lost when you remembered you were playing it? Sorry if I made any of you lose. Have you forgotten the pink polar bear yet?

Simple stuff like that shows we do not always have control over our own minds. As much as I try to not think about something or someone, I’m still thinking about it somewhere in my thoughts. Especially at times when I really, REALLY don’t want to be thinking about it. I envy people who when you ask them “what are you thinking about?” and their response is “nothing,” they’re actually thinking about nothing… or are they?

During this time of quarantine, I’ve been practicing taking control of my mind. My thoughts love to spiral on me. I think a mile a minute without end in sight. Sometimes it’s pure nonsense and other times it is fear-based. I’m sure there are many people who can relate to anxiety taking over or depressing thoughts.

There are a few things I’ve been doing to take control of my mind. One thing I do is speak out loud. Yes, I will proudly admit that I talk to myself. I even sing to myself. Words have power especially when you speak them out loud. When I find myself trapped inside my head spiraling, I speak kind, loving, gentle, comforting words to myself out loud. I even talk to myself like I am talking to another person, but it’s for my ears only. When I hear myself speaking, it is a way to quiet my mind and take the reins back.

Another thing I do to take control of my mind is to distract myself. Sometimes a little distraction is good for the soul. We don’t always have to be stuck in the present moment. It is okay to get lost in a book, a TV show, a song, a game, or a movie. There are plenty of ways to distract. By distracting myself, I am taking control of what my mind is focused on.

Something else I do to control my mind is to confront the thoughts. It goes hand in hand with becoming aware of what is around me. I will argue with myself and question what I am thinking. For no apparent reason, I will think about things I’m afraid of. Instead of letting those thoughts continue, I push back. I think to myself, “There is no reason to be afraid of this because it is merely a thought in my head” and “Why are you even thinking about this?” I then remind myself of my present surroundings. I become aware of the things that are real and tell myself, “I am safe, and all is well in my world.”

Lastly, what I do to control my mind is journal. Not everyone can be a journal-er, but I find writing my thoughts down helps me let them go. I know some people who take it a step further and burn their journals when they’re done. Obviously, I enjoy writing, or I wouldn’t have a blog, but writing in a journal gives me the ability to word vomit anything and everything without concern. I try to keep it real in my blogs, but I also structure these so they’re coherent. Don’t have to worry about that in a journal.

Our minds are powerful. They can feel like a prison cell or they can be an ocean of possibility. The vastness of our imagination can be intimidating to one and a playground to someone else. That’s why we have such an array of entertainment out there. The possibilities are endless. The combinations limitless. But without some control, our minds can betray us.

Our mind is a muscle that we have to condition, tone, and work if we want it to be healthy. How we think, impacts everything we do. It is so easy to make excuses for why we are so miserable, but it all goes back to a thought in our minds. We choose what misery looks and feels like.

I’m not trying to say these things to be apathetic. I am working my mind-muscle to not fall into despair when things don’t go the way I’d like them to. My physical body is really sore right now. I was just laying on my floor before writing this because everything I do physically is painful. I feel like I always get some kind of push back when I am doing well. The good news is, I still have control over my mind. Yes, being in physical pain and having insomnia are inconvenient. In the midst of that, I still choose to be proud of myself for the things I have accomplished and accomplishing. I am taking control of my mind.

I encourage you, exercise your mind-muscle. You have the power to change the way you think, you just gotta put in the hard work. You can do it!