What do you do to keep busy and keep from thinking too much?

-- Jen (Winter@nyc.com), November 02, 2000

Answers

This was posted a year and a half ago. I assume that by now you have either found an answer or realized that the real solution is to stop the voices. The only way I found to do that was through meditation. Meditation is simple, but it ain't easy because your mind doesn't want to "give up" it's constant chatter.

The simplist technique is to sit, don't lie down or you'll go to sleep, and when you exhale mentally say the word "one." Or, Oommm, or anything. That word just breaks up any train of thought, paticularly the one where your mind says, "This is not working." Stick with it for 20 minutes, and don't worry about the time, your mind will tell yo when 20 minutes are up. With luck, after about 15 minutes, your mind will "shut up." That's a place you've never been before.

-- Don Howard (doubleduck@compuserve.com), March 07, 2002.

Write your thoughts down. As soon as they pop up. Wherever you go take a note pad. At the end of the day transfer them onto your "Consolidated list". At the end of the week you might find that the thoughts you have are often recurring. Also with investigation you will find that if you ask most people they have the same thoughts. Then go off to the gym, work out as hard as you can for 40 minutes (cardio) and then read you list again. Then smile and realize things will be OK! My solution

-- Sean Lupton-Smith (seanlupton@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.