Challenge Accepted: 10 Whole Minutes Alone With My Thoughts

Photo by Kinga Cichewicz.

Speaking of morning routines, for the past couple of weeks, I have been trying to work a new element into my morning routine. (Yep, maybe I should start sharing my sweet morning routine for y'all to follow!)

The new thing is to spend a mere 10 minutes just sitting, alone with my thoughts.

I have my notebook out and sometimes journal a bit. Or I just sit there and think about things. Either way, it is quiet and I am quiet. There is a timer to let me know when 10 minutes is up so that I don't check my clock the whole time.

What's the point?

I am not very good at being alone with my thoughts. I put on the radio, music, podcasts, Netflix, basically anything that adds another voice to my brain.

Being alone with your thoughts is important. It allows them to grow, change, multiply, or fade away, as needed. It lets you actually think them.

I want to teach myself that I don't need to be afraid of being alone with my thoughts anymore. I am pretty sure I learned to avoid it when I was living with depression; when being alone with my thoughts was actually a little bit dangerous. It's not anymore.

Also, it's a bit relaxing. It's a mini-reset before the day starts.

The hardest part is starting. Turning off the radio, pausing the podcast, putting down the book, and/or setting aside my phone is the biggest struggle of this whole thing. It's like taking away my security blanket. I know I'll be okay without it, but I don't want to be without it. Also, what if I am not okay this time? What if something horrible happens?

I often have a weird FOMO-like feeling when I go to turn off whatever I am listening to, which is usually something pre-recorded. I feel like I am going to miss out on something in a recording that I have paused and will start up again in 10 minutes. There is no logic to it. And yet. The mind resists.

So it's a practice that's good for me, but that I am struggling with. Maybe I always will?

How is your relationship with your thoughts? Are you totally comfortable being alone together, or do you need to manufacture opportunities like me?

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