Know Your Mind
I would like to talk about the mind now. What is the mind? Where is it? We know what a brain is, and we know exactly where it is. But the mind is a whole other animal. Do we actually only think in our brains? Or do we also use our bodies and souls to think?
I think as you may have guessed, that it is all connected. But let’s say for the time being that you think with your brain. So that means you have thoughts with your mind. I believe you feel with your soul. That you have emotions with your soul.
So how are feelings and thoughts connected? We often think we feel something, therefore, we think something. That may be traditionally true, but if we changed that paradigm and controlled our thoughts, we can control our emotions or feelings. We can control how we feel by what we think.
The mind is meant to be our slave, but we are often slaves of the mind. The ego is this weird thing. On the one hand, you need it to exist. On the other hand, it makes you think that you are all mind. We are often the slave of our minds.
And back to our physical brains. The brain is a muscle and the more you use it, the easier it is to use.
So what can we do about this?
These things have helped me, in no particular order:
- Philosophizing
- Day Dreaming
- Therapy
- Psychiatric Medication when Needed
- Writing
- Reading
- Learning
- Music
- Talking
I am a thinker by nature, we all are. The word Homosapien literally means thinking man. Well, I am a thinking woman and philosophizing about life has been something I have done since I was a very young child. Debating the nature of life and the self are two things I was born to do. Think. I know that sounds intuitive and obvious, but you would be surprised how many people are conditioned to not think. Think for yourself. And while you’re at it, question authority.
I have also always been a daydreamer. That is where ninaland came from. I used to play pretend as a kid and I often made up elaborate fantasies. I’ve always been a dreamer and I highly recommend daydreaming.
I have been in therapy for the last twenty years. Of course, I do have a mental illness, Bipolar Disorder, but I think that is irrelevant. Everyone can benefit from therapy. I love therapy because can we talk about nina some more? Therapy with a psychologist is invaluable but I also play therapist and patient with my close friends. Freud was an idiot but he invented the idea that something can happen when two people go in a room and talk.
OK, I know this controversial but almost everyone I know is on some kind of psychiatric medication. I do not think everyone needs it. I do think that if you do need it, it is invaluable and you should not be ashamed of taking it. I would literally die without it, I would become manic and then depressed and probably actually die from either reckless mania or suicidal depression. I don’t care how enlightened I become, I will never not take my medication.
Let’s talk about writing again, this is not just for writers. If you want to explore and expand your mind then you should write. You don’t have to write like a maniac. If you write for ten minutes every day you will get to know your mind better. It is a mental exercise and it is a powerful tool to organize your thoughts and feelings. To understand the difference and become more in control.
I cannot overemphasize the value of reading. Read anything, literally read the ingredients of your lotion while you are on the toilet and it will make you smarter. Reading is the easiest way to expand the mind and understand the world. If you want to truly understand your mind, read. Two books I highly recommend are Conversations With God by Neale Donald Walsch and The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera.
I have learned so much from teaching and tutoring I cannot state how much learning at every age will make your mind actually work better. I taught a student of mine chemistry equations that I have never learned in two hours the other day. I had to learn them quickly and then explain it to her. I did not think I was capable of this, but apparently, you can learn anything.
I'm not inherently more intelligent than my high school students, I just have used my brain for longer than they have. That is why I can pick up this new material faster and explain it to them. Again the brain is a muscle. Exercise it.
And finally, listening to music will just help your mind. I don’t have any data for this, it’s something I am saying from experience. Music will calm your mind, excite your passions, and make you think all at the same time. It is the easiest way to get in touch with yourself. It is something you should listen to every single day, multiple times.
Talking is an interesting concept. It is usually unrehearsed and really quite spontaneous and it uses parts of the brain that are not used in any other activity. Talk about everything and anything. Talk about the stuff that you think you can’t talk about. There are still things I think I can’t talk about even with my best friend. But one day I hope I will be able to talk about it. Talking is an exchange that creates understanding on so many levels. It also creates socialization and intimacy.
I love talking.
Shocking, I know.
The mind is a curious thing and a terrible thing to waste. Don’t worry about your intelligence, we cannot measure intelligence, there literally is no way to understand someone’s intellectual intelligence, emotional intelligence, creativity, etc. You are intelligent, don’t ever think less of yourself.
Use that mind.
nina