Suggestions for "getting out of your head"

[mikeschu]

This is probably the best forum to post it in. Mods, feel free to move it if you need to.

In just over a week, I've had two experiences where someone has directly told me that I need to "get out of my head". One of those times was with a woman that I hang out with on a regular basis, and the other one was during an intuitive reading.

I recently had a four-day weekend where I spent the majority of it out of town. It took me the better part of two days to stop acting cerebrally and to enjoy the weekend. The woman I was with noticed a difference in how I was acting between Friday and Sunday. I noticed it as well.

Google doesn't seem to help in a direct sense, so I'm opening it up for discussion. Have you been a person who needed to "get out of your head"? If so, or if not, can you offer advice?

Thanks in advance!

[sheffy4]

How so? Are you being too analytical about things? Or maybe you are too immersed with problems you are trying to fix in your head? Are you disconnected from reality?

[starkey]

If your thoughts are on overdrive, maybe you should try meditation. With practice, you can calm your mind down with just a few minutes of breathing exercises.

[MrLawofAttraction]

Well..... there right.

The greatest people in history weren't always great thinkers , they where inspired thinkers ;also, all of that incessant thinking and mind chatter is a great source of stress and I may as well misery in our lives. A lot of people think that they've got to figure it out but if you look at the results of this pattern of thinking everyone is doing and compare that with the physical manifestation of those results EI: "your life" you'll find that it really isnt the answer. One of the most effective ways to Eliminate mind chatter is through a regular practice of daily meditation where you learn to observe your mind process's and separate from them emotionally . You really aren't your mind or your thoughts. Your mind is a tool created by evolution in order to protect you and keep you safe. When you learn to disassociate your Identity from your Mind you are free create a life free of all the egocentric trappings of the mind and are able to give up having to control everything because you become aware of the sub conscience program modeling that you have learned from your family and society at large. SO if someone is telling you to "get out of your mind" they are trying to let you know that you are over thinking things and that is what is getting in the way of you getting the results that you want or causing friction or resistance in the situation or with other people or experiencing happiness which is your natural state of being.

I hope that helps a little

[Fullcrum]

All these answers are great! Read them and implement all this stuff. I'll give you simple and practical things that I do to get and keep out of my head. Live in the present, the only moment that ever is.



1. Eckhart Tolle blitzkrieg. As a shock thing to my self I listen to him relentlessly - buy his audio stuff (start out with his audio books and then you can get his more intense stuff). Man, that stuff puts you into the present and keeps you there! Do this - it's REALLY EFFECTIVE. It worked the first day I did it - the consistency (listen to it every free moment you have - EVERY ONE!) compounds the effect and keeps you in the present even if something shakes you up.



2. Exercise. Nuff' said - You'll never believe me until you try it. Get out there and start working out. Be the champion .



3. I know how it feels to be stuck in your head - I can be very cerebral myself! It feels like a weight is on my head. My eyes feel deader and heavier (not in the good tired way, more like "I don't want to be here.") I see this everyday in my high school. So - put your attention in your body! Make your body feel good - REALLY EXCELLENT. Start breathing deep.



4. The Eckhart Tolle stuff, again, I cannot urge it enough - his use of different pointers and his voice will FORCE you into presence. It's profound, and the implications it has on your creativity will shock you. Use any pointers that work for you and remember them when you feel presence slipping.



5. Self-amuse. If you go through life with an attitude of self-amusement and genuine value giving, you'll realize that you cannot self-amuse yourself through thought. And being stuck in your head does not give value - your presence does! So self-amuse. Some things I do:
- Dance while walking anywhere - Public places too!
- Hum and sing cool songs I like
- Look at the sky and allow my mind to be silent...and the awe to overtake me.
- Chat up and talk to strangers (friends-to-be). It's really fun - you should try it. It will also get you out of your head.
- If you're stuck in your head, make fun of it. "Ahh, hahaha, look at me I'm stuck in my head!" - to yourself. Maybe even improv some song: "Oh my dear look at me; I'm stuck in my head you see?" It gets me out of my head.

Keep in mind all this stuff gets you out of your head and stop consciously plodding around (conscious thinking). If you are aware of your body and how good it feels to be aware of the energy in your body, and then think - Your thinking will be more efficient and effective.



So - a recap.

1. Eckhart Tolle blitzkrieg.

2. Workout! Even at home

3. Put your attention into your body!

4. Use any pointers to presence that click for you.

5. Self amuse! Give value!

Have fun. Implement this stuff and tell us how you do.

[Jonathan Mead]

I once heard a great Zen Master say the best way to get out of you mind is to laugh for a few minutes. Laugh hysterically, laugh quietly, laugh until you go OUT OF YOUR MIND. Sound crazy? I disagree. Being in your mind all the time is crazy, you are confusing reality for the thoughts you think about it. Reality is not a concept. In order to experience reality, you must go out of your mind.

Trust me when I say, your feelings are completely normal. =)

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by mikeschu

Google doesn't seem to help in a direct sense, so I'm opening it up for discussion.

You're probably not keying in the right search terms.

It has to do with your personality. Quite likely you're an INTJ or INTP (in the Myer-Briggs), or a Type 5 personality (in the Enneagram system). For these folks, getting immersed in your own head is a fairly common occurrence.

You can google for advice to such personality types, on how to deal with these sorts of matters.

[Gary]

Some places to start,

Yoga,
Tai Chi, and Aikido or other soft forms of martial arts.
Meditation
Sitting Quielty
Painting
Playing music
Singing
Laughter - conscious for no reason as mentioned above is as good as any, maybe better
fishing
hunting
Dancing
Wash dishes
Make Love
Get a massage
Give a massage
Cooking
Surf
Sailing


Notice all of these are actions, but more importantly are forms of shifting your attention from the virtual realty of your mind to the present moment experience of life. There are a billion ways but the essential ingredient is to get a hold of your attention and focus it where you will,,, not where the mind goes out of habit.

Of the type that is most direct is Meditation. With washing dishes or cooking we have something to do. In meditation you are not giving your mind any activity to do. The result is that you have an opportunity to notice just how busy the mind is out of habit. This can be disconcerting. Of these things mentioned meditation is a direct confrontation to the chatting intellectual nature of the mind. It's the most challenging approach. As such it often leads a person to become frustrated with the process because the don't realize that the first part of meditation is to notice just how wired the mind is.

You can also learn to do it with my on line course in Self Mastery

[Old Soul]

yeah I am kind of like that too

I live in my head also... but the thing is I am always writing a rhyme or singing a song, thinking about something good....