HOLDING OUR MINDS WITH COMPASSION Our brains are incredible problem-solving machines,
Finally tuned over millions of years to ensure one thing,
Safety first.
For our Stone Age ancestors,
Survival depended on their ability to avoid threats,
Protect themselves from harm,
And prepare for future dangers.
Belonging to a tribe was critical.
Being cut off meant certain death.
This survival-driven design shaped the way our minds evolved.
Early humans who excelled at spotting,
Predicting,
And avoiding dangers were the ones who survived.
Their sharp minds ensured they could identify problems,
Whether real or imagined,
And find solutions to stay alive.
Over time,
This safety-first programming became hard-wired into the brain.
The modern mind still geared towards survival.
Despite the remarkable advances of the modern world,
Our minds are still driven by this safety-first approach.
We could break these down into two primary goals,
As Dr.
Russ Harris has done.
Most people don't realize,
Says Dr.
Russ Harris,
That our minds are designed to number one,
Keep us safe,
And number two,
Keeping us from pain or discomfort.
This safety-first approach means our brains are constantly scanning for anything that could be perceived as a threat,
Even if it's something as small as a potential,
Awkward encounter with a colleague at a social event.
Likewise,
The mind seeks to avoid even the slightest discomfort,
Whether it's an underlying anxiety about a social event or the effort required to start a new task.
When safety and comfort become a problem,
Here's the paradox.
The very mechanisms that kept our ancestors alive create challenges for us today.
Our minds are so sharp at spotting potential problems that they often generate thoughts about threats or discomforts that don't actually exist.
These thoughts can lead us to rumination,
Avoidance,
Overreacting,
Even when there's no real danger.
And when our minds identify a problem,
We naturally tend to mind it,
Be concerned about it,
Giving the thoughts our attention,
Our energy,
Even when it's not helpful.
For example,
A small disagreement with a friend might spiral into hours of worry about whether the friendship is in jeopardy.
The anticipation of a challenging task might lead to procrastination,
Driven by the mind's desire to avoid the little bit of discomfort in starting the task at hand.
The power of awareness,
Stepping out of the cycle.
Awareness is the antidote to getting caught in this survival-driven cycle of thought.
When we become aware of our mind's patterns,
We can create a space to observe them with curiosity and maybe even compassion.
This is just my mind doing its job,
Trying to keep me safe and comfortable.
This thought is not necessarily true,
It's just my brain working overtime.
By stepping out of our thoughts and into this space of looking at our thoughts instead of from our thoughts,
We can begin to live more intentionally.
Instead of ruminating on imagined threats,
We can focus on what truly matters to us.
Instead of avoiding discomfort,
We can embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.
Looking at our thoughts instead of from them.
Holding our minds with compassion.
It's important to remember that our minds aren't working against us,
They're just trying to do their job.
While this ancient programming is unhelpful at times,
It's rooted in a deep desire to protect us.
With this understanding,
We can hold ourselves and our minds with greater compassion.
Instead of battling against our thoughts or blaming ourselves for feeling stuck,
Judgmental,
Etc.
We can practice kindness.
Thank you mind,
For trying to keep me safe.
I see what you're doing,
But I don't need to invest in this thought right now.
It's not helpful.
Stepping into our lives.
When we embrace awareness,
We begin to unhook from the grip of unhelpful thoughts and step into a life guided by choice,
Not fear.
Our thoughts will mostly try to pull us towards safety and comfort,
But we don't have to follow.
Instead,
We can align our actions with our values,
Creating a life that reflects who we truly are,
Beyond the chatter of the stone age mind.
This is the power of awareness.
Looking at our thoughts,
Looking at these thinking patterns,
Not from them.
This helps us step out of our minds and into our lives,
Holding ourselves and our thoughts with the compassion they deserve.
If this has sparked some interest within you,
Get in touch with me or search for NeverMindYourMind and you can find out more.
