By Joan Courtney, C.Ht.

Unstuck Living

The voice in your head is nonstop: I need to ______, I am ________, I should ________, I haven’t _________; I wish I had _________. The list seems never-ending; continuous and unbroken. It’s your own voice speaking in that monotonous, parental tone, driving you ever onward. If you finish one project, it seems two others take its place. You’re so busy moving into the future, you don’t even have time to give yourself a pat on the back. 

It’s easy to mistake that voice for the real you. Too easy to be swallowed up by a never-ending flow of activity. To be connected and called to attention by a leash of electronic information. Too easy to move into that reactive state. I heard of a woman who described herself as a FOMA, or defined by a Fear Of Missing Out — always needing to be “in the know.” 

Along that line, my computer died a few years back. It just quit on me. The screen slowly went black. And there I was. You know how it is, don’t you? Feelings of panic and loss overwhelmed me. Up to that point, I hadn’t realized how much time I’d spent with that machine. You might even say it was a constant companion. I had to order another one, and I was lost for a time. I was forced to taper off my chit-chat, my distractions. I also had an excuse to slow down my never-ending movement, the compelling urge to “do something.” Now, I’ll admit, gearing down wasn’t quick or easy, but my brain appreciated the break. I got in touch with myself. Rest and quiet were what I needed. 

Live Unstuck 

It’s the start of spring. Let’s shift gears. Who are you? The chatterbox in your head? Or are you something deeper? The quiet core inside you is your true nature, your authentic self. Without that real you, there’s no genuine perception, no original thoughts, and no true feelings. 

But how to get there from here? Let me share a few suggestions I’ve gleaned from my life.

• Start small. Whether you’re hiking, sitting on your porch, simply be with Mother Nature. Notice your physical sensations: How your feet feel on the ground, the breeze gently moving on your face, the sensation of clothes on your body. You don’t need hours of meditation. Get to know the real you.

• Move away from electronics and television. Distractions can be tempting, shifting your focus to the next diversion and cluttering your mind even more. Turn off your phone. Step away from the computer. Put away the Kindle. Just be present for a while.

• Slow down, then silence the voice in your head. Ever noticed when you’re running around in circles with tasks in the future and the heaviness of the past, your inner voice speeds along almost without taking a breath? Take a disruptive sentence (I need to finish this project) and slow down the words. Or scatter the words into nonsense. Or toss them into the sky and watch them float away. 

The voice that matters is the quiet, gentle voice of aliveness and awareness. Ready to explore a vast, peaceful, and serene place? Or are you satisfied with where you are now? Live unstuck.

Having over 35 years of experience, Joan Courtney, C.Ht., is a clinical hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner. Writing for Outdoors Southwest and other publications on the Mountain, she also ghostwrites bi-weekly posts for Lil’ Toot, the Canine Executive Officer of Unstuck Living.