Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post - 30 day challenge

backpocket · 09-12-2007, 08:37 PM

I'm starting a 30 day challenge for myself, just to see how I'd feel if I was present, mentally not only physically, during the whole day, no matter what task I'm doing. This means shutting up the mental chatter as much as possible, and actually putting my attention into everything, from the larger things like studying for my school, practicing my musical instruments etc but also mundane things like waiting for the bus, listening to a lecture (heheh) and only thinking when I choose to, not when it wants to.

I'm not sure if this is in the proper area, and if this is a proper thing for a challenge, but I just want to hold myself accountable, instead of the usual "Bleh, I'll do this some other time...nobody knows it but me anyway" and just get this experience done with.

There were a lot of thoughts coming up as I decided to do this, because no mental chatter = no thinking, and then these thoughts start to well up, such as, "Then how will you plan your future??? Tomorrow? The world will spin of its axis if you don't constantly think about tomorrow! What if you want to think about your future? Your career??? Your shopping list??? Not thinking is bad!!!"

These thoughts keep on coming up, but I know that most of what I'm thinking isn't thinking, it's just imagining circular scenarios in my head, and worrying about things I can't change or I won't do anything about. But if I'm wrong, at the end of the 30 days, you'll just see this weirdo posting weird **** on this forum because he can't think straight.

I did a pre-trial test today, and was I surprised at how often my mind keeps on going off the whole day. I'd say I'm off imagining things roughly 90% of the time. I'll notice that I'm doing something but thinking something else, then I'll catch myself, but next thing I know, my mind will drift off for maybe 30 minutes before I go, "Whoa there. Stay here buddy. The future's offlimits."

I notice I tend to keep on entering weird scenarios in my mind. This morning while I was on the bus I kept on thinking how I would defend myself if all these people just went berserk and attacked me. My eyes just kept on looking at all the heaviest, most solid things I can heave at them, and ways to acrobatically jump over the seats and out the door.

But I did notice that when I am present (which I usually have to do by concentrating on my breathe) I feel a weird sense of lightness, and things start to have texture, sounds have more clarity, foods taste better, and people actually seem okay.

I'll start it today, and post some follow-ups every few days. Let's see how it goes.

Wish me luck guys.

09-12-2007, 08:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
backpocket Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Malaysia Posts: 189	30 day challenge - Being present/in the moment I'm starting a 30 day challenge for myself, just to see how I'd feel if I was present, mentally not only physically, during the whole day, no matter what task I'm doing. This means shutting up the mental chatter as much as possible, and actually putting my attention into everything, from the larger things like studying for my school, practicing my musical instruments etc but also mundane things like waiting for the bus, listening to a lecture (heheh) and only thinking when I choose to, not when it wants to. I'm not sure if this is in the proper area, and if this is a proper thing for a challenge, but I just want to hold myself accountable, instead of the usual "Bleh, I'll do this some other time...nobody knows it but me anyway" and just get this experience done with. There were a lot of thoughts coming up as I decided to do this, because no mental chatter = no thinking, and then these thoughts start to well up, such as, "Then how will you plan your future??? Tomorrow? The world will spin of its axis if you don't constantly think about tomorrow! What if you want to think about your future? Your career??? Your shopping list??? Not thinking is bad!!!" These thoughts keep on coming up, but I know that most of what I'm thinking isn't thinking, it's just imagining circular scenarios in my head, and worrying about things I can't change or I won't do anything about. But if I'm wrong, at the end of the 30 days, you'll just see this weirdo posting weird **** on this forum because he can't think straight. I did a pre-trial test today, and was I surprised at how often my mind keeps on going off the whole day. I'd say I'm off imagining things roughly 90% of the time. I'll notice that I'm doing something but thinking something else, then I'll catch myself, but next thing I know, my mind will drift off for maybe 30 minutes before I go, "Whoa there. Stay here buddy. The future's offlimits." I notice I tend to keep on entering weird scenarios in my mind. This morning while I was on the bus I kept on thinking how I would defend myself if all these people just went berserk and attacked me. My eyes just kept on looking at all the heaviest, most solid things I can heave at them, and ways to acrobatically jump over the seats and out the door. But I did notice that when I am present (which I usually have to do by concentrating on my breathe) I feel a weird sense of lightness, and things start to have texture, sounds have more clarity, foods taste better, and people actually seem okay. I'll start it today, and post some follow-ups every few days. Let's see how it goes. Wish me luck guys.