bewize

After finishing 10% Happier, I decided I had nothing to lose by trying to meditate for 5 minutes a day during November.

I cannot do it without music, but Pandora offers several "meditation music" options, so it may be a cheat, but... *shrug* It may also just be a starting place.

One of the things Harris mentioned in the book was to see what thoughts arose and whether there was anything you can do about them.

I note the following types of thoughts:

* Physical discomfort (aches, pains, etc.)
* Concerns about my SO and his job
* Thoughts about how I can't meditate
* Random thoughts about work, food, life, etc.
* Thoughts about how I need to do X better

That is the rough universe of thoughts that intrude, but I can see a pattern already.

What can I do about them:

* Self-care (yoga, stretching, doctors, massage, exercise, movement)
* Help with some activities (putting in grades) and emotional support (which means more self-care, so I have more to offer)
* Dismiss these as self-defeating waste of time
* Acknowledge and push aside until a better time, focus on those things in a dedicated way when it is time
* Try and reframe as cheering, not belittling, and again focus on those things in a dedicated way when it is time

The acronym Harris gave was RAIN: The book outlines the mindfulness tool, RAIN, an acronym for a four-step process: recognize, allow, investigate and nurture.

That concept was the one that really got me interested. What thoughts are rampaging in my brain that I might be able to harness better and use to my benefit, instead of my detriment?