You don’t realize how easily you can fall out of the present moment. It’s also pretty easy to snap back into in, you just may not realize when you do it.
I was on my walk today, dealing with some more stressful thoughts and complicated emotions. My music was bumpng in my ears, likely fueling more negative thoughts. I was fully focused on my mind spinning and not being present at all. That’s when someone waved me down and said something to me.
I took my headphones off and immediately snapped into the moment. There were no negative thoughts, no hatred or anger on my face, just my typical friendly self. We chatted for a couple minutes then went our separate ways. Almost as soon as the music started again, so did the thoughts.
This made me realize how quickly we can get swept up by the waves of our thoughts and emotions. If we do nothing to stop them, they’ll just keep coming and the more we fuel them, the more severe they become. But clearly it’s possible to snap out of it and focus on what’s right in front of you.
Our thoughts and emotions can be exhausting, but we don’t always try to slow them and put them to rest. Sometimes it feels like we have no control, they just come and go as they please based on what’s happening. The key to control is to be aware and making a choice.
We do have control of how far we let the thoughts go. If something pops into our head, we can notice it and nip it in the bud. They’ll keep trying to come back, but we always have the power to try preventing the spiral.
It may seem difficult, but I guarantee you’ve done it before and not realized it. Becoming aware of your thoughts and knowing you have power of them is the first step. So next time you start spiraling, try just listening without judgement and without adding more fuel to the fire.
September 15, 2024
