Last week, when I was sitting at my laptop conducting an online therapy session, I gave somebody the assignment of sitting with the discomfort. When that person had some discomfort figuring out the details of the assignment, I said, “Sit for ten minutes every day, get in touch with the discomfort, and see what happens.” My belief was that it would not be difficult to get in touch with discomfort, because we are all feeling some discomfort these days.
Because I feel discomfort asking somebody to do something I am not willing to do, I committed to doing the same assignment of sitting with the discomfort daily for ten minutes until our next therapy session.
I have been sitting with the discomfort since then and, as I sit here with some discomfort (the aches and pains of early rising), I am comforted to tell you that I am finding that assignment helpful.
Too often, we deal with our discomfort with distraction, addictions, avoidance, and disconnection. It helps to just BE with the discomfort for ten minutes a day, noticing and observing without judgment.
Here are some images I captured yesterday when I was not sitting with the discomfort:
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There is some sitting, some discomfort, but mostly joy in “Good Morning” from Singin’ in the Rain.
I won’t be sitting with discomfort waiting for comments on this sitting-with-discomfort blog post.
I am grateful and comforted to be sitting, standing, walking, and blogging for you!
Two nights ago, when my very busy brain woke me up and prevented me from getting back to sleep, I tweeted this …
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I received very many helpful responses about very busy brains.
My very busy brain did come up with this mantra a month ago: “I am at peace. We are all one, connected.“ However, when my very busy brain is interfering with my sleep, I have trouble remembering it! This reminds me of the very first time I ever noticed the very busy Jeff Goldblum.
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Do you see evidence of very busy brains in my other images for today?
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Just like Scorpio Rising …
… I calm my very busy brain by spending time in nature and photographing it. Here are some photos I took within 20 busy miles from where I grew up:
Very busy brains tend to go into the future, often with worry about what will be. We need to refocus, over and over again, on the precious present moment.
My very-busy-brained husband, Michael, suggested yesterday that we calm our very busy brains by committing, once again, to no worry for a year. We tried that once before, starting in April 2019, and, unfortunately, our brains got very busy with worry in March of 2020, when I and very many other people came down with COVID.
Do any other very busy brains want to join me and Michael in committing to no worry for a year?
My very busy brain goes into the future and the past, so here’s one of my very favorite TV show theme songs from the distant past:
My very busy brain looks forward to some very busy activity in the comments section, below.
Finally, here’s some very busy gratitude for all who help me create these very busy posts, including YOU!
Whenever I invite people to stay in the moment, rather than thinking about the future or the past, I acknowledge how difficult that is to do. Every moment, people agree with me. It’s difficult to stay in the moment — the human mind wants to go into the past and/or the future.
In this moment, it occurs to me to ask the question: Why is it so difficult for people to stay in the moment? When people do stay in the moment — experience the present with all their senses — they appreciate the break from regrets about the past and worries about the future. And yet it remains so difficult to stay in the moment.
Because I can’t answer the question I posed in the moment, I just tweeted this:
Before I finish this post, I’ll check back on Twitter to see if I have any answers.
In the meantime, notice the focus on the future and the past in these other images I am sharing in the moment.
In the moment, I think the Daily Bitch is inviting us to stay in the moment.
There are no answers to my question on Twitter, so I’ll see if there are answers on YouTube to “Why is it so difficult for people to stay in the moment?”
Here is Eckhart Tolle with “Accepting the Present Moment not the Life Situation!”
Today is countdown day in the United States: 4-3-21.
What are you counting down to? While my mind counts down into the future with how things could be different or better, I’m trying to stay in the moment with acceptance and awareness.
Sometimes we need a break from thinking, worrying, and doing, to just BE. After all, we are human BEings (not human doings etc.), as difficult as it might BE to BElieve that and just BE.
Just BE, as you look at my images for today.
Just BE as you take a moment to celebrate as you choose.
