At the moment, we all know this implicitly. Life is busy. Our minds are busy. I am feeling particularly fragile. Corona virus, new lock down in Melbourne, remote learning, uncertainty, managing pain, moving house...lets just say, I have a few things rattling around up there in my brain. None of these are life shattering but each chip away and it all adds up. I imagine I am a circus performer, juggling sharp objects, whilst balancing on a high wire...on a unicycle...covered in bees - okay that's probably overdoing it. I may have been watching a bit too much Magic for Humans (worth a watch if you have Netflix!)
Reacting
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| "Oh dear, how did I get here?" |
Sometimes I wonder if the human brain is too clever for its own good. There are so many things we can do without thinking. Things we have done many times before. There is part of the action that is stored in our memory and so when we do them, we can still think other things, do other things. We switch to auto-pilot. What is going on when a pilot uses the automatic function - have they gone off for a coffee? Toilet break? Watching the in-flight movie? When I act on autopilot, it is because my mind is cluttered, engaged elsewhere. I am off exploring some other idea, ruminating on the past or worrying about the future.
We have all done it. Been driving and realise we have gone the wrong way. Cooking and wandered off while the frying pan is on. Does anyone remember this ad in the eighties "Oh my goodnesss, the chips!"? A kitchen fire starts while a lady is chatting on the phone. The other day I nearly replicated this. I had some oil warming to cook steaks for dinner. I wandered off to watch television and forgot. Anyway, we were all safe but the kitchen filled with smoke and my frying pan was scarred forever! Also recently, during homeschooling, our morning routines were haphazard and I forgot my daughters scheduled keyboard lesson. We answered the phone in our pajamas and scrambled to get set up. Embarrassing!
Response
Pay attention. A simple solution is to just pay more attention. Of course this is easier said than done as always. My awareness often comes with an instant and deep sense of shame and/or fear. Once recognised, I find it is best to not dwell on what might have happened. A few moments more of distraction...who knows? Best to leave the judgement and just be glad I caught myself being lost. And be grateful that the worst did not happen.
Connect to senses. After a period of autopilot, I snap myself back to the moment with a sensory overdose. Smell. Hear. See. Feel. Taste. Grab some essential oils, have a barefoot walk on the grass, lie on my acupuncture mat. Listen to some music. It is difficult to get lost when you ave all that present moment experience.
Touch. Yes, I know, it is one of the senses and I am doubling up but touch for me can be therapeutic. After becoming aware, I like to take some time to be present with someone else. A snuggle on the couch is a great remedy for autopilot blunders. Being kind to myself and soaking up some love from the family.
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