We all have a constant companion that is never quiet. It’s what some call “monkey brain,” but I’ll refer to it as mental chatter for this post. It’s always there. The mental chatter in our heads starts when we wake up and is still going when we go to sleep. It’s even active during our dreams. If you want a peaceful life, you need to learn to manage the chatter.
Unfortunately, this never-ending stream of thought can be start to get to us over time. Fortunately, with understanding and objectivity, the impact of mental chatter can be mitigated. If you’re willing to take control and keep your thoughts positive, mental chatter even be helpful.
There are several ways you can manage your mental chatter. Here are a few for you to consider:
Recognize your brain is going to make noise
Brains generate thoughts the way little yapping dogs bark. It’s just what they do. While your brain can be taught to quiet down to an extent, there’s no way to silence it completely while you’re still breathing. Accept that the nature of your brain is to make noise that only you can hear. That doesn’t mean you have to allow it to control you or affect you.
Keep some distance from your mental chatter
Since you know that your brain is going to generate thoughts regardless of the situation, it’s easy to see that you don’t have to engage with those thoughts. If you are focused on another more important task, just allow your mental chatter to pass on by. Avoid grabbing onto any of one those stray thoughts and running with them. Just let them go.
Meditate
Meditation shows you just how noisy your mind can be. It also allows you to practice bringing your mind back to a point of focus. You learn a lot about how your mind works when you meditate. A few minutes a day can make a big difference.
Use affirmations
Affirmations are a great way to counteract negative mental chatter. It’s a proven fact that you can’t think about two things at the same time. When any negative thoughts appear, recite your affirmations to yourself. You’ll not only feel a positive boost from the affirmations, but you’ll also avoid the impact of your negative self-talk.
Listen to the chatter
Sometimes, the chatter is trying to tell you something important. Consider if there’s a worthwhile message your subconscious is trying to tell you. Maybe your mind is prompting you about remembering to pick up your child after school. Setting an alarm on your phone so you won’t forget will let your subconscious know you have it under control and may silence the noise.
Live without judging
A good portion of the noise in our head is created by our constant need to judge everyone and everything. Imagine it’s hot outside. It’s okay to just acknowledge that it’s hot. Just allow it to be hot without deciding that it’s good, bad, or requires your additional commentary. Avoid the urge to judge people, places, things, and situations. As an added bonus, the less you judge, the less you’ll worry about being judged by others.
Journal
Sometimes it helps to just let it all out. Set aside 10-20 minutes each day and allow your mind to run wild. Write it all down. You’ll be stunned by how varied and nonsensical your thoughts are. It’s also possible to find something worthwhile on occasion, too.
Mental chatter is one of the results of having a normal brain. Brains make noise, and they never stop for long. Much of your mental chatter is nothing but random nonsense.Your best bet is to ignore it as well as you can and get on with your life.
When you make an effort to think positive thoughts, then your mental chatter is working for you rather than against you.
Find your purpose – find your joy!
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Did you find a few more ideas of your own? If so, I’d love to hear about them in the comments, and as always please reach out with your thoughts.
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