Do you know how to do this?
Me either. 🤔
Well, that’s not entirely true. There are times when I succeed at emptying my mind so completely that I don’t associate myself with anything. When I feel both empty and complete.
The one time this happens is when I’m doing my yoga fitness or cycling. During those moments, my focus on nothing, on emptyness, is intense. The only thing I feel during those activities is my breathing and the way my muscles move. I’m not focusing on thinking, or overthinking, about anything else.
Now, before you imagine me in some high-intensity, cardio-fueled workout, I don’t do that. I do gentle, stretching-focused yoga fitness that is designed to keep me flexible and strong. There is a bit of cardio in some of the sessions, but nothing like those exercises I grew up with in the 80s.
Do you remember the 20-minute workout program on TV?
🎵🎶 And 4 more, and 3 more, and 2 more… and take it to the left! 4 more, and 3 more… 😳😄🎵🎶
As a teenager, I tried those and hated every minute of them. Also I didn’t look like the women in those videos, or dressed like them, nor did I use half a can of hairspray on my hair. I may have been the only girl of that Big Hair era who did not like the look of helmet hair. I liked it when my hair moved… 😛
Anyway, trying to empty my mind when I’m sucked into multiple streams of high activity is very difficult. During those times, my brain creates its own fireworks, with thoughts jumping from here to there and detouring all over the map. It’s exhausting!
I try meditating and breathing to gain inner calm and that sometimes works, but I discovered through trial and error that the time of day to “come down” matters almost as much as the type of meditation aka emptying/calming my brain: mornings are out. I am most active and creative in the mornings and if I don’t take time to note down my list of everything I don’t want to forget, my subsequent day deteriorates rapidly into a disorganized and disconnected sequence of events.
Mid-afternoon is a good time for me to become nothing and nobody, or a blank state. Trick is to disconnect from the devices… 🙄 Seems like a no-brainer, I know. 🙂 Sometimes, evenings before bed as well.
But lately, with the launch of Boldly Chic Boutique and the peripheral business streams, I’ve been in overlode mode. Any attempt to empty my mind, even for a short amount of time, has been a struggle. Everything I do incites more inspiration and creativity; I’m concerned I’m going to crash and burn if I don’t calm myself down periodically.
So, friends and readers of my blog, I’m looking for tips. Please feel free to share yours! I’ll compile a list and link back to you in a future post. Perhaps we can learn something new together for the benefit of our collective mental health.
Thank you for reading. See you in the comments!
Writer of Words etc 
Simple physical exercise and walking can help you to achieve a stress free state or a thought-less mind. Activities that involve our autonomous nervous system and muscle memory let the brain stay relaxed. Try it and you’ll see the benefit in two days.
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Thank you for these tips, definitely worth a try. 🙂
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Morning meditation is also a no-go for me, though I do a regular self-affirmation/gratitude practice after my morning stretch with a crystal in hand; this practice usually takes less than 4 minutes to complete unless I’m getting super chatty with The Universe. 😛 I prefer meditating at night before bed for relaxation and less chance of distractions.
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Mornings are difficult for me too.
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I find it hard to empty my mind, too, so I typically do meditations that have you repeat a mantra or whatever.
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I’ve tried meditation but I think way too much. Loved this post
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HI Claudette,
If you find the magic bullet please let me know. I have been unable to empty or quiet my mind. The only places that I can come close to it, is on top of a snowy mountain, and at the mosaic studio.
I have been trying to meditate… trying being the key word.
Blessings and good luck to you!
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I understand about the mosaic…
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For whatever reason I’m incapable of emptying my brain no matter what I’m doing. I think it’s just who I am at this point 😅 I’m forever going 100 miles a minute 😬
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I have days when my brain never stops at all and I crash by 8 pm. 😉
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I think everyday is like that for me 😂 except the 8 pm part because I enjoy my alone time which I one get at night or when my kid is in school and I don’t have a million farm chores to tackle 🤪
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I started doing restorative yoga every other week. Life changing as far as relaxation is concerned. I feel so good after the class, because my mind really empties and shuts down
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I don’t think I can completely empty my loud mind but I can turn down the volume by unplugging. Like you, I am most active in the morning-making lists, responding to emails, fulfilling orders. Afternoons I work on the “creative” parts of my business-throwing things 😆- and I think that is where I “empty” my mind. I have scaled way back on social media. I just could not keep up the pace of producing new content every single day – it became a drudgery rather than fun. So, for me, unplugging has helped quiet my mind. 🧘🏼♀️
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I happen to know what you mean by throwing things lol… 😂
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Sex will do 🙂
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Ha. 😄
I just discovered your blog. I will be visiting and reading shortly!
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I don’t know if my mind is ever empy but I’m most at ease and centered when I’m cruising around with nowhere particular to be and listening to my favorite songs.
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I find it hard to turn off the tap in my head. 😉
Driving hasn’t done this for me, but I live in a Metropolitan city full of traffic congestion and construction detours… But I remember trips through the country and understand how this can be calming.
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Were you referring to Denise Austin I remember that workout show being on espn. There was another one on espn but I can’t remember his name.
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I don’t know their names. The TV program was called 20-Minute Workout.
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Music 🙂
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Yes! And an intriguing podcast or documentary… (Also reading).
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Disconnecting from my devices is hard. 😛
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So hard. I kick myself for not practicing this more often so it gets easier…
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Exercise is the best mind emptying activity…..rest we are unfortunately adults 🙂
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Right? I find it the most helpful, too.
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Exercise time is the best mind empty time…rest of the time we are unfortunately adults 🙂..so kind can not be empty !!
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I don’t know that I am ever “empty”. I feel like there’s always stuff going on in my head, some of it much more important than other stuff. I do think there’s credence to the concept that your brain can be on overdrive, but then it can also maintain quieter periods where observation and contemplation can occur on a less frenzied level. I just don’t know if I’ve ever not been thinking about something.
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There is a lot I learned in my year of research into this topic. It definitely is possible to get yourself empty; I’ve experienced it a few times but not enough.
More later.
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Drugs
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🙄😄Well there’s that for some I guess. 😛
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Colouring is a good mind-emptying activity for me.
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Oooh… I forgot about that. I used to colour too but someone who shall remain nameless took my colouring book… 🙂
Thanks for the reminder to get back to that activity.
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