05/04/2022
What are “racing thoughts?”
Racing thoughts are more than just thinking fast. They are instead, a rapid succession of thoughts that cannot be quieted and continue without stopping making you feel out of control and have difficulty concentrating. They can progressively take over a person's mind and barrel out of control to a point where daily life can be impacted.
How do you stop racing thoughts? Did you know you have 40O - 600 THOUSAND thoughts a day? The first step is recognizing that your mind is racing. Sounds easy but it isn’t always easy to break that cycle when you’re in it.
Next you want to focus on the present. Lynne Goldberg of Omg! I Can Meditate! likens it to juggling “You can’t have a busy mind and juggle at the same time. You have to focus.”
This two minute or less mini meditation from Goldberg helps you focus on the present and calm your mind.
•First look around and notice where you are.
•Then close your eyes and notice the sounds around you, whether that’s a baby crying, horns honking, or your coworkers banging away on their keyboards. “Allow yourself to be there with the sounds,” Goldberg says.
•Take one deep breath to settle yourself.
•Then follow your breath, from the moment the air touches your nostrils as you inhale, feeling it fill up your chest and belly, and as it leaves your body as you exhale, noticing if the air feels warmer or colder.
•Repeat this for five deep breaths.
Literally taking 30 seconds to focus on one thing in the present. A sound, a smell, a physical sensation and then focus on that while you take these 5 deep breaths.
This really works for me and I hope the next time you’re needing to quiet your mind you’ll try this. Make sure to SAVE this so you can reference it when you need to.
Are racing thoughts something you struggle with? How do you quiet your mind?
This little ensemble is the first in a few new costumes I’ve gotten recently. Wait until you see the next ones. They are pretty incredible. Are you missing the bird hat photos? I’ve been taking a break because they weren’t getting that many views. Let me know. 💚
