I have been paying attention to when and how our minds get hooked. Sometimes those moments are significant and other times they are not. I am going to share an example of a really insignificant one, however muy mind got hooked anyway. I even hesitate to write this example because it shows how quickly my mind got hooked by something that doesn’t matter one iota. But, here goes.
This weekend I came home from the grocery store and was talking on my cell phone as I put away the groceries. My husband started to help me and went to put away a large tray of chicken. I would have simply put it across several jars on the bottom shelf. He started moving things around, making room for it on surface of the shelf. I noticed that I was agitated and even a little bit huffy because it seemed like such a waste of time to move all that stuff around when it would have fit quite easily on top of the jars.
Now, we’re talking the difference between 10 and 45 seconds! And, who cares? He was helping me put groceries away! There is no right way to do it and there was no real reason that my way was better or more efficient. So, why do you suppose that my mind got hooked? There might be lots of reasons and I’d hazard a guess that none of them are very rational. Then again, our judgments often aren’t rational.
This chicken/refrigerator story is a very small and simple example of how quickly our minds can go down the path of judgments. In this instance, I was able to see how ridiculous it was that I had the quick emotional reaction. I walked away and let it go. I can think of other times that my mind has latched onto something and I’ve had a big internal, emotional reaction and I haven’t let it go. I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one who has done this.
One of the keys is to notice when your mind is reacting in a way that is way over the top for that particular moment. Then, actively let it go. Recognize that it doesn’t really matter whether or not you are right because it usually isn’t a matter of right and wrong. It is usually a matter of your mind creating some story around what is going on and engaging you in creating some drama about it.
Does your mind have a favorite place to hook you? If so, how might you recognize more quickly that your mind is off and running before you have gotten involved in the drama in your mind? I often ask myself a few questions when I notice that I have gotten hooked. Does this really matter? Is this mine to do something about or is it theirs? If it’s not mine, then it’s time for me to let it go. Sometimes that is easier said than done. The one thing I do know is that it’s easier to let it go when I am able to recognize that my mind has latched onto something. Again, sometimes easier than other times.
What might you do to begin noticing that your mind has gotten hooked about something? Look at that question from the place of curiosity rather than judgment. Enjoy the experiment and remember that sometimes it only takes a shake of the head and a chuckle as you realize that you have gotten hooked. Then go on.
PS The picture at the top of this blog is a funny example of how my mind got hooked momentarily. I happened to be walking past the window one day when the street sweeper went by. The sweeper vacuumed up the dust in the road and then blew that dust out the top and behind the sweeper. My first reaction was one of – isn’t that the silliest thing you ever saw? I almost got hooked by the seeming inefficiency of it and then stepped back and laughed at myself because it really doesn’t matter. Besides, I got a really funny picture out of it!
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