Attention, distractions and how to get rid of autopilot!
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Our mind is a tool , but also the internal landscape that our thoughts constantly cross like tumbleweeds. Whenever we try to focus our mind on a specific task, some thoughts are bound to creep in and run across the field of our mind from time to time, distracting our focus. And here there are two options: we can react to thoughts and develop them, or vice versa, and this is what we do in our mindfulness practice - we simply note the thoughts that appear without evaluations and judgments.
A common symbol of mindfulness is motionless water surface disturbed by falling raindrops. And if a drop of rain is our direct experience, then the place where the drop falls on the surface of the water is our body, sensations, emotions. The inner circle at the point of impact represents the initial thoughts caused by direct experience. The next circle is thoughts that have developed from initial thoughts, and all subsequent circles will be thoughts about thoughts)))
In Mindfulness practice we choose where to focus our attention and we should not be alarmed that distracting thoughts appear or unexpected sensations arise, we note them, but do not involve ourselves in their development, instead we keep our full attention on the chosen focus.
One of the important distractions that negates our awareness is an autopilot, mmany things happen to us automatically, since these are habits and patterns of thoughts and actions that have already developed over many years. What can you do to move away from your usual patterns?
1. This, of course, may seem too radical, but leave your mobile phone at home. Give yourself a time when you can temporarily stop using it. We all need privacy, from gadgets as well))
2. Devote more time for personal communication with parents, children, friends, neighbors. On autopilot, we have become so accustomed to virtual communication that we have forgotten what it means to feel the energy of another person, his warmth.
3. Do something new with your partner; over the years of living together, many things may have already become a habit; you need to expand the range of common interests
4. Try to change your usual routes, choose new routes, and if you need to spend more time on this, take this into account, but do not limit yourself to your usual rut
5. Often on autopilot we avoid things that are uncomfortable for us, our laziness comes up with thousands of excuses and we put off important things over and over again, finding endless excuses for this. Make it a rule to do it right away and forget it. There is a very vital Russian proverb (The eyes are afraid, but the hands do)
Surely you have, How to add to this list, write, we will get rid of the autopilot together))