"Like most humanoids, I am burdened with what the Buddhists call 'monkey mind' - the thoughts swing from limb to limb, stopping only to scratch themselves, spit and howl. From the distant past to the unknowable future, my mind swings wildly through time, touching on dozens of ideas a minute, unharnessed and undisciplined. This in itself is not necessarily a problem; the problem is the emotional attachment that goes along with the thinking. Happy thoughts make me happy, but - whoop!- how quickly I swing again into obsessive worry, blowing the mood; and then its the remembrance of an angry moment and I start to get hot and pissed off all over again; and then my mind decides it might be a good time to start feeling sorry for itself, and loneliness follows promptly. You are, after all, what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat Pray Love.
Eat Pray Love is one of my favorite books. After a friend of mine lent me her copy, I decided to buy my own copy because, like millions of other women across the globe, I totally identify with Gilbert, except that I have never been married, divorced or been diagnosed with depression. And I think am probably the last person in the world to read the book.
Anyway, regarding the above quote, I can totally relate with Gilbert. Most times I go through life consumed in my own little thoughts and I don't really know what is really going on in the world around me. My mind seems to be all over the place, for example as I am typing this, I am thinking of what colour to paint my nails, I feel bad for wasting my money on a book that isn't as interesting as I thought, I am pissed at my friend's boyfriend who cheated on her, I feel guilty for cancelling plans with a friend, this headache is making me irritable and why do I keep on thinking about the financial management paper I did a little over a month ago? While all this is going on, Mumford & Sons' I Will Wait is playing in the background and I am trying to sing along.
In today's fast world,I find it increasingly difficult to really live in the moment and my thoughts don't make it easier. I find myself multitasking, which saves me time and therefore makes me a better manager of my time. But I also think it is doing more harm to my friendships. I find myself texting while giving relationship advise to a friend or replying an email while randomly hanging out with friends.
As much as it might be hard to quit these habits at once, I think every once in a while its good to stop what am doing and really think about it for a moment. I will be able to enjoy the magnificent sunrise while waiting for the bus at 7 in the morning, I will be a better friend, I will notice my best friend's new haircut and most importantly, I will be more in touch with me.
