Would you rather give yourself an electric shock than sit alone with your thoughts? It’s not as strange as you may think. A recent study at the University of Virginia found that 67 percent of men and 25 percent of women choose to give themselves a mild electric jolt than to spend time alone with their thoughts.
It’s easy to understand why. In our rare moments of silence the inner critic uses the opportunity to criticize, chastise and remember every failed endeavor and disappointing venture we’ve ever had. It’s a wonder that we get anything done at all!
Mindfulness is a technique that keeps us focused on the present. When practicing mindfulness we notice our thoughts but resist the need to react to them. We don’t give the inner critic the power to throw us off track. We can retrain our thinking and notice our good behaviors and focus on the positive results in life.
Mindfulness allows us to be in the present and not re-hash the lost moments of the past. When we live in the moment we release attachment to our circumstances and experience freedom. Imagine all the time you would save not being activated by what your co-worker said or worried about what your friend thinks of you. When the mind is calm, we allow those creative ideas to bubble up as possibilities.
Practice mindfulness: stop, breathe and release. When you find your emotions stirring and your mind reacting to circumstances, stop what you are doing, breathe deeply, and release the chatter of the inner critic. Accept the moment of silence as a golden opportunity to receive all the good that God has to offer.