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Authors: Charlie Hoehn
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my brain up, the more noise it made. The more I resisted my thoughts, the harder they fought back.
Then one day, out of sheer frustration, I gave up. I stopped wishing for my bad thoughts to go away, and just let them run wild while I sat there in silence. I was like a parent who was tired of chasing their crazy kids around, so I just gave up and calmly watched them.
Amazingly, it worked. Meditating became so much easier when I observed my thoughts like a detached outsider. Each morning, I would sit cross-legged with my back against the wall and close my eyes for 10 minutes. Then I’d just observe myself. Every thought that my mind produced – no matter how nerve-wracking or obnoxious – was allowed to make as much noise as it wanted. Instead of trying to control and change these thoughts into peaceful silence, I just watched them do their thing, like they were clouds passing by.
My thoughts weren’t good or bad; they were just thoughts. I didn’t need to make them perfect, or assign them any value. They all received the exact same treatment: detached indifference. When I got bored with them, I’d shift my focus back to the rhythm of my breathing. It was like a relaxing mental workout where there could be no failure.
After two weeks of observing my thoughts for 10 minutes each morning, my mind wasn’t able to scare me. My thoughts only had power when I granted them that authority. The incessant chirping in my brain that freaked me out for months was now background noise.
Think of it this way: If you were in a room full of people who were all laughing and pointing at you, and there was no way for you to escape, how long would it take before you stopped caring? How long would it take for your panic and shame to turn into apathy and annoyance? That’s how you should think about your stressful thoughts — as a room full of obnoxious people trying to wind you up. You can either let them harass you every single day, or you can practice not responding to them.
Don’t resist your stressful thoughts or wish for them to change. Welcome them, observe them, and get bored with them. Calmly return to your breathing and observe that instead. If you struggle with this, try to inhale deep into your belly, then think of a single word (like Peace) as you slowly exhale. 28 You can also lay on your back with your eyes closed while you’re meditating. 29
FREQUENCY:
10 minutes in the morning, or as needed.
COST:
Free.
DO IT NOW:
Sit cross-legged with your back against a wall, or lay down on your back. Set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes. Close your eyes. Practice watching your thoughts as though you’re a detached observer. Alternative: Go on a 10-minute solo run and only pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing (no music allowed!)
RESOURCES:
Meditation Timer (playitaway.me/meditate) I use this app to transition out of mediation sessions. Instead of alarm clock noises, this app has a variety of singing bowl and chime sounds you can choose from.
Turning the Mind Into an Ally (playitaway.me/mind) This beginner’s guide to meditation is highly recommended for those interested in Buddhism.
Remember Be Here Now (playitaway.me/now) This book’s reminder to live in the present changed my life. I later discovered that Be Here Now inspired Steve Jobs’ trip to India and his experiments with LSD.
Search Inside Yourself (playitaway.me/search) Based on the hugely popular meditation course at Google, this book shows how you can practice mindfulness in life and work.
Zazen (zazensf.com). This place was my sanctuary in San Francisco. Once a week, I’d spend an hour meditating in a soundproof, pitch-black floatation tank that was filled with warm water and Epsom salt. Sounds extreme, but floating was super relaxing and peaceful for me. Search on Yelp for “floatation tanks” near you and give it a shot. Costs about $60 per hour.
28 Or you can just count; think of the next number with each exhale.
29 I
Then one day, out of sheer frustration, I gave up. I stopped wishing for my bad thoughts to go away, and just let them run wild while I sat there in silence. I was like a parent who was tired of chasing their crazy kids around, so I just gave up and calmly watched them.
Amazingly, it worked. Meditating became so much easier when I observed my thoughts like a detached outsider. Each morning, I would sit cross-legged with my back against the wall and close my eyes for 10 minutes. Then I’d just observe myself. Every thought that my mind produced – no matter how nerve-wracking or obnoxious – was allowed to make as much noise as it wanted. Instead of trying to control and change these thoughts into peaceful silence, I just watched them do their thing, like they were clouds passing by.
My thoughts weren’t good or bad; they were just thoughts. I didn’t need to make them perfect, or assign them any value. They all received the exact same treatment: detached indifference. When I got bored with them, I’d shift my focus back to the rhythm of my breathing. It was like a relaxing mental workout where there could be no failure.
After two weeks of observing my thoughts for 10 minutes each morning, my mind wasn’t able to scare me. My thoughts only had power when I granted them that authority. The incessant chirping in my brain that freaked me out for months was now background noise.
Think of it this way: If you were in a room full of people who were all laughing and pointing at you, and there was no way for you to escape, how long would it take before you stopped caring? How long would it take for your panic and shame to turn into apathy and annoyance? That’s how you should think about your stressful thoughts — as a room full of obnoxious people trying to wind you up. You can either let them harass you every single day, or you can practice not responding to them.
Don’t resist your stressful thoughts or wish for them to change. Welcome them, observe them, and get bored with them. Calmly return to your breathing and observe that instead. If you struggle with this, try to inhale deep into your belly, then think of a single word (like Peace) as you slowly exhale. 28 You can also lay on your back with your eyes closed while you’re meditating. 29
FREQUENCY:
10 minutes in the morning, or as needed.
COST:
Free.
DO IT NOW:
Sit cross-legged with your back against a wall, or lay down on your back. Set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes. Close your eyes. Practice watching your thoughts as though you’re a detached observer. Alternative: Go on a 10-minute solo run and only pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing (no music allowed!)
RESOURCES:
Meditation Timer (playitaway.me/meditate) I use this app to transition out of mediation sessions. Instead of alarm clock noises, this app has a variety of singing bowl and chime sounds you can choose from.
Turning the Mind Into an Ally (playitaway.me/mind) This beginner’s guide to meditation is highly recommended for those interested in Buddhism.
Remember Be Here Now (playitaway.me/now) This book’s reminder to live in the present changed my life. I later discovered that Be Here Now inspired Steve Jobs’ trip to India and his experiments with LSD.
Search Inside Yourself (playitaway.me/search) Based on the hugely popular meditation course at Google, this book shows how you can practice mindfulness in life and work.
Zazen (zazensf.com). This place was my sanctuary in San Francisco. Once a week, I’d spend an hour meditating in a soundproof, pitch-black floatation tank that was filled with warm water and Epsom salt. Sounds extreme, but floating was super relaxing and peaceful for me. Search on Yelp for “floatation tanks” near you and give it a shot. Costs about $60 per hour.
28 Or you can just count; think of the next number with each exhale.
29 I
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