My Brain Is Addicted to Learning
After months of information overload, my brain was exhausted and completely overwhelmed. My brain was so overloaded; I didn’t even realize it had stopped playing on my side. Without realizing it, I had slid into a state where I relied more on what I read and heard from others than on my resources and thought process. Even the tiniest information, I had to do a Google search!
It didn’t use to be this way. I used to be resourceful and creative, trusting myself and my resources.
Once upon a time (…like 20 years ago), we didn’t have the easy access to information as we do now. We went to libraries to find information. We read books, and we had to research to find helpful information. Now, the ease of having everything always accessible and just a click away had made my brain go lazy, and my intuition goes weak.
I realized something needed to change, so I decided to pick my brain up and make some changes to my life.
A Daily Walk
I started going for daily walks outside. Luckily we live close to the woods, and I enjoy walking on the narrow paths in the middle of nature. But any scenery is just as good. Going for a walk outside stimulates your brain in many ways. If you have the possibility; Look far ahead. Take in all your environment; Sense the smells, feel the air, be conscious of the world around you. Breathe slowly and consciously, in and out. Enjoy everything you see. Watch and take in the experience of being alive. Be mindful, be present, be joyful.
Break It Down
When I’m working on a project, I can sometimes get overwhelmed by the size of the whole project. When that happens, I’ve learned to break down the project into smaller bite-size tasks and focus only on ONE task at a time. I decide ahead of time how long I will work on that one piece of the puzzle. Often I will put on a timer before I start. I deliberately give myself a short time frame to finish the task so that my brain won’t begin to overthink and make it more difficult than it should be.
Train Your Brain
We have all the information we need inside of us. When I was in information overload, I didn’t listen to my intuition. The noise from the external world was too loud. So, I decided to approach it differently; Every time I was tempted to look for external information, I decided to stop and ask myself;
- If I did know, what would the answer be?
- If I could have a guess, what might the answer be?
I would allow myself to sit with the question for a while, doing my best not to rush it. I would just the question sink in and let the answer float up. If my mind didn’t come up with a solution, I would look for advice, but I made an effort not to make it my first choice. Instead, it would be my 3rd or 4th choice. It may sound complicated and time-consuming, but it’s a great way to teach your brain that you are in control.
Stay in Control of Your Time
For months, I got up in the morning full of desire to work on my projects. By dinner, I was mentally exhausted. I felt overwhelmed and unfocused. And I didn’t have much to show for. How could that be possible? I would start the day without any clear schedule on how to proceed with the day, which meant that my brain could take control and choose what to do.
Days would pass by, and I would get nothing done. I thought I was productive, but I wasn’t. I gave my brain all the power instead of staying in control over my time and actions. Now I use a scheduler to remain in control over my day. I use Meistertask. It’s a free online task management tool that keeps me focused and on track with my projects and tasks.
I also use Google Calendar with its notification service to stay on time. All I need to do is add the task as an event into the calendar, and it will notify me 30 minutes (you can choose the time) before the event starts. That gives me 15 minutes to finish the task and 15 minutes to relax or get some fresh air.
Other things you can do
You can do so many other things to get your brain back; Eat healthily, drink water, meditate, journal, go for a walk, have coffee with friends, go out for dinner, go swimming, paint, go for a drive. The list is endless.
What will this do for you?
If you are willing to practice this for at least two weeks, your mind will quiet down, and you will feel more relaxed and empowered. You will notice that you are back in control over your life and your mind. Your self-confidence and intuition will grow, and your creativity will flourish. Don’t worry if it feels hard in the beginning. It will be worth it; You will feel so much better and in control once you’ve regained the power over your brain.
So, now you know how I took back control over my brain, and you can do it too!
A couple of years ago, I decided to become a Life Coach. People tend to come to me with their problems, and I love to listen and help people improve their lives and get the results they want. It’s been a fun and exciting journey, and I’ve learned SO much!
On the last day of the month, I realized; This is not working! Something needed to change. I had spent the first month of the year working on my big project; Getting my business as a Life Coach off the ground and my website up and running. I was doing it all by myself, and I thought I had been productive during that month. But when I looked back at what I had achieved, I felt just overwhelmed, and a thought flashed through my mind;
If I were my boss, I would fire myself!
All my good intentions to be productive had vanished in a long stream of unnecessary actions that hadn’t produced any tangible result.
