A poem to ponder:

I’m feeling lonely and tired
Tired of being teased and bullied—by life
Life teases and taunts me, daily
Playing with my overthinking mind

Offering me things I cannot do
Suggesting ways I cannot be
Proposing healing that does not work
Tempting me…repeatedly

But my mind is now trained to be mindful—and so I notice my stressful feelings

At bedtime I wonder just how I’ll make it through another restless night
And each morning as I arise I ponder just what I’ll miss out on today
Watching from the sidelines—merely observing all the joy, excitement, adventure…
I’m thinking toxic, anxious thoughts that build unhealthy stories

Life teases and taunts me, daily, relentlessly
Playing with my overthinking mind

Life can feel so wonderful
And at the same time so wonderless
The contrast is clear
But my mind is now trained to pay attention—and so I observe my stressful thoughts

I’m moody and emotional—cranky and irritable
Because no one understands the truth of my life—especially not me
Life says “Yes” and asks for my commitment
But my mind and body shout “No” with complete conviction

Limitations forever hold me back
And for years I ache for more
I suffer chronically from dreams unrealized
And a life not fully lived

Life teases and taunts me, daily, relentlessly, pulling me from my dignity and grace
Playing with my overthinking mind

But my mind is now trained to become curious rather than judgmental
And so I give myself permission to wonder…

Which is the bigger bully, life, or my overthinking mind?

“Guilty as charged,” said my overthinking mind

~Terri Klein

This is what can happen when you let your overthinking mind take charge—allowing it to sit in the driver’s seat and be in control. Trust me, I’ve been there.

This month I challenge you to reflect upon this very important yet oftentimes neglected topic. Which is the bigger bully for you? How does life play with your overthinking mind?

So many of us have wants, yearnings, and visions that remain unrealized—potential that remains untapped. And more often than not we blame the circumstances of our lives and the hand we’ve been dealt.

If we give ourselves permission to dig deeper, however, we will soon discover that it is our overthinking mind that is responsible—IT is the obstacle.

The overthinking mind is one of the ultimate barriers to our greatness.

But it doesn’t have to taunt and tease, bully and threaten. It can be trained to do otherwise. It can be taught how to be your best friend and greatest ally rather than your biggest bully and worst enemy.

Give yourself permission to “quiet” your overthinking mind.

Sincerely,

Coach Terri

P.S. – In my workshops, How to Quiet the Overthinking Mind Levels 1 & 2, we move through a 12-week curriculum that delves deeper into the overthinking mind, mindfulness practices, and related topics. These wellness workshops are ongoing at The Schwartz Reisman Centre and registration is open. My next Level 1 Workshop will run from Oct. 9 – Nov. 13, 2018.