I am trying to practice “mindfulness” every day, as much as possible. I’ve always struggled with overthinking things, leading to worry and anxiety, and I have been reading books and looking online for more little tricks or tips in helping to manage this by remembering to live my life in the present moment.
While observing myself yesterday, I suddenly remembered that I used to have little “mind tricks” I used when I was a kid which did much the same thing. I wonder when I stopped using them so much? I think it was the sort of thing I “outgrew” along with other games of pretend, which is a shame. Anyway, here are some of the things I used to do.
When I was feeling lonely, I would imagine that I was in a book and I would narrate my life inside my head in the third person. I was such a reader, always had my nose in a book, and this trick worked like reading did to keep me from feeling alone.
Sometimes I would pretend that I was really someone else who was beautiful and popular and rich and perfect in every way, and that I had changed bodies for a day with “myself” in order to see what things were like for this other, non-perfect person.
When someone was mean to me, I would sometimes fantasize that a huge pile or rocks would suddenly fall from the sky or through the ceiling onto that person’s head.
Perhaps some of these tricks were healthier than others.
You know how you do the rocks falling on someone’s head thing? Well, I’m a little reticent to admit it, but I pretend I’m Carrie from the movie of the same name. I set cars on fire and they tumble across the highway, flying and flipping, after their driver has caused me any kind of concern.
I think, perhaps, I should work on something of a more positive nature:)
Speaking of “overthinking things”, you just recently did it again. Over at Buffet o’ Blog, you said a bed frame with a mattress and the typical bed toppings is not a bed. If it’s not, then what do I sleep on every night? It’s a bed. It’s really that simple. Why make it complicated?