The greatest gift I have ever given myself is learning the ability to stop thinking. To remove yourself from thought and just BE. Just exist.
We are programmed to always be in thought. Replaying conversations or moments over and over, analyzing, comparing, reenacting, and over reacting. That moment is gone and never to be seen again. And you just missed another moment because you were in thought replaying the scene in your head.
Devoid yourself of that thought. Anytime you feel a reminiscing coming on, you immediately dismiss it. Scoff at the notion. Say to yourself, 'hmmpfh, I just had a thought about the past', and let it go. Don't judge it or attach an emotion to it, just disassociate yourself from it. When done in repetition, you can eventually learn to never live in the past again.
The future? Well that'll just have to get here whenever the hell it gets here. I can't bother myself with playing out future events anymore unless it has to do with the greatness that lies before me. Yes, of course I have goals, both short and long term, written down. But I'm not talking about achieving your personal legend, I'm referring to the self-induced anxiety caused by worrying about minor future events or conversations. That moment in time will get here eventually, and it will work out fine. It always does. The worry I create (in my head) leading up to that event or moment is always 10x worse than it turned out. I created the anxiety and worry by staying in my head, my own thoughts. That is emotional torture.
As we Rocky-loving Philadelphians say, 'Fahget about it!'
Meditate. Or merely spend a few minutes being devoid of thought. Too hard? Follow the flow and trace of your breath. As it channels past the nostrils and into the lungs, feel it moving. Try feeling your chest/stomach rise and fall while feeling the air flowing in and out of your nose. If you can successfully think of both of those same, inner moments together than you will not be able to think of anything else. Those two internal thoughts will busy your mind enough to allow it to take a short break.
Be still. Devoid of thought. Give your mind a break. It deserves it.
