Alone with thoughts

Sitting alone with your thoughts is harder than you may think. A 2014 study found that a high percentage of people would rather give themselves an electric shock than simply sit in silence with their own minds. And over the years, it has only gotten worse.

Think about your own life. When you are bored, you grab something to distract you. It may start small — reading at the dinner table, reading on the toilet, reading at the gas pump, reading in line at the store.

The advent of cell phones has exacerbated this. For me, it gets even more attention, because I have always read on the toilet (TMI) and at the dinner table. But now it seems we all want that dopamine hit. As soon as we are alone, we pick up the phone.

So I tried an experiment. For the last few days, I have woken up, showered, and then sat alone with my thoughts and a bottle of water. My very non-scientific observation? I found myself less anxious and less worried about the day.

It was a pleasant experience. I believe it is because I am not bombarding my mind with information — sports scores, scripture reading, affirmations, newsletters, newspapers. I already stay off social media in the morning, but even the positive reading may be too much for my mind at 5:30 a.m.

I think I may be on to a new morning routine: sitting quietly with my thoughts.

When was the last time you sat in complete silence — no phone, no book, no affirmations, no agenda — and what did your mind do when you finally let it be still?