FIRST THOUGHTS, OVERWHELM & CRYING OVER SPILT MILK

Imagine that there is a space between the moment you wake up, and the first thought that you have. It’s a space ripe with possibility, when the body is just that little bit ahead of the mind. It is a peaceful, clear, wide open space. A visceral place, where words and time don’t exist and feeling and instinct reside. 

But as the mind starts to wake up, that very same space begins to fill with that first thought - and that first thought leads to the next action you take - and the subsequent thoughts that you generate about those thoughts themselves; scaling them, rating them, evaluating them, fighting them, suppressing them...and so it goes. The brain has been aroused and, like a bottle of milk that’s been tipped over, the thoughts come rushing in, spilling over, uncontained - before you’ve even set your feet on the floor. 

Once again, you are back in the race, un-warmed up, already behind and still needing to clean up the mess. Sound familiar?

Operating this way is the perfect recipe for overwhelm. It is living a life fueled by the limited, unsustainable energy of stress. Not to mention the energy you spend stressing about the mess. Not being able to clean it up and ultimately assigning the word to who you are by calling yourself “a mess” and so on…you get the idea.

So what do we do about it?

Well, let’s first take a look at what “mess” means to you. How do you define messy? Where did you learn that definition? Does your current mess really need to be cleaned up? And if so why? Why is that important to you? Who decides what’s messy or messed up?

Did you know that Albert Einstein was reported to have been a very messy person. In response to criticism of his work habits he asked, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then what are we to think of an empty desk?”

Touche! 

But it isn’t about whether or not you are tidy or messy in your external world, it’s the thought messiness that most affects us and makes it difficult to process and focus. A cluttered mind is disrupting and it hinders our productivity, balance and ultimately our mental health.

Remember that space we imagined between the moment we wake up, and the first thought that we have? That first thought is one of the most pivotal thoughts we have because it sets the course of our day. Knowing that can be a superpower. Preprogrammed default thoughts and limiting beliefs will rush into that space like that bottle of spilled milk, as the mind wakes up vigilantly trying to protect you from failing. Filling the space with thoughts and lies to motivate you like “You are already behind” “You are lazy!” “Work harder!” and “You are a mess!” using any means necessary to scare you into action. 

That is where you can be ready for those energy draining counterproductive thoughts by having an alternate first thought that sets you up for a successful and energized day. What’s a thought that might serve you better? Practice that thought. Practice it until it becomes natural. You don’t need fear to motivate you. Like a Ninja Warrior your strength is in your lack of fear and it is that which provides you with the determination, and strength you need to operate at your highest potential.

Oh and regarding the mess part, tidy or messy, who cares?

That proverbial bottle of spilt milk that we race to clean up is the very same that the cat laps up capitalizing on its good fortune. And fun fact: while the exact origin of the idiom 'don't cry over spilt milk' isn't exactly known, it is quite likely to have come from faery lore. ... Whenever milk was spilled, it was considered to be nothing more than a little extra offering to the fairies, and nothing to worry about.

I’m Lisa Hopkins, thanks for listening. Stay safe and healthy everyone and remember to live in the moment. 💜🙏