Weekly Prompt #33: Have you ever stopped to ponder the complexities of your own mind?
Hello all, I hope you are all being easy on yourself this week.
Last week we discussed: What is a boundary to you? Thank you to all who participated and shared their thoughts and questions for discussion. They were thought-provoking questions and thoughts. I hope you all did too. If you didn't share yours, please share them here and I look forward to reading and discussing them with you
This week's prompt: Have you ever stopped to ponder the complexities of your own mind?
So, I invite you to pause for a moment and ponder the intricacies of your mind. What stories are you telling yourself? What beliefs are shaping your reality? What emotions are guiding your actions? Let us get started on this journey of self-discovery together, supporting and empowering each other along the way.
Also, it is time for periodic feedback on these weekly prompts.
On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions on depression so far? (10 being most helpful)
What specific topics related to depression would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?
@ASilentObserver well I'd give your prompts on this a ten too, but I'd rather give them a 2 4 6 and 8 ❤ only because 2, 4, 6, 8 who do we appreciate obbbssss yaaay go obs 😁❤ maybe some prompts could be the basics, how we learn to live alongside depression, what exactly is it and why we feel it, and will it get better, how come it comes at different levels.
And I don't know how to answer this question, I don't really understand what it means, sorry😕
@Tinywhisper11 ok after reading everyone elses reply I understand the question now ❤😁 I'd rather not think, when I do it's cause I'm upset by something, then I can't help but to think. But it makes me feel worse, and that's when I hide under my blanket and cry, and prefer to be alone. Otherwise I'm generally a happy person. Some people think I hide behind my smile, but I think I am generally happy, when I'm not you'll all now about it😂😂
@Tinywhisper11 That sounds like you have a complex relationship with thinking. You say that thinking is something you do when you're upset, and it makes you feel even worse. Please know you have all of us here with you.
Have you ever stopped to ponder the complexities of your own mind?
Due to my disabilities, I'm kinda forced to do this. My brain and my mind work a lot different from I'd say most ppl. I have to do a lot of inner work and analyses when it comes to my thinking, my feelings, who I am and want to be, all that stuff, to function properly in day-to-day life. I guess that's why I usually come across very aware of myself and my mind, in good and in bad. Guess I have to be in a way. So, I'd say I do ponder my mind one way or another everyday, as different things can affect me differently on each individual day. And I do recommend it, cause it can help, at least some ppl.
Also, it is time for periodic feedback on these weekly prompts.
From scale of 1-10, I'd give these discussions on depression an 8. Me and some others have noticed that this site tends to rely a lot on positivity, to the point where it does feel toxic a lot of the times. I like these discussions because they're very down to earth and real, and they allow the person answering to decide the emotional weight of it. It would be nice to see discussions like this in some of the other subcommunities too, really. And to have some basic and direct questions in between these open ones too, to open other kinds of discussions. But I still do like these, so keep up the awesome work.
@OneErased hugs you tightly ❤❤
@OneErased It sounds like you spend a lot of time thinking about yourself and how you work. How has self-reflection helped you in your day-to-day life?
@ASilentObserver
I'd exist even less if I didn't do it all the time. There's not much point to a day-to-day life if that slight sliver of existence was taken a way too.
This is something I spend quite a bit of time doing. And I'm more of the Jung side with part of. There are classes in philosophy courses called Philosophy of the Mind and you really enter the metaphysical. It amazes me how we can make pretty much whatever we want to happen actually happen in our own minds. And the different layers getting down to the unconscious. And collective unconscious if you're a Jungian. We hardly know anything at all even about our own minds. Jung felt that the unconscious was this amazing active world and only a small piece of us shone in the conscious world. People think Freud did a lot with the unconscious, but Jung made it even larger and more important. Too bad I have to wait several years after I get my license after grad school to train in Jungian psychoanalysis. And pay a FORTUNE. But it's what we can't see or ourselves recollect that fascinates me the most. Just gave a talk on different layers of consciousness last week,
@ThoughtLight wow! Your studying the mind! That's really cool ❤ you'd make a awsome psychiatrist one day. I'm not sure we'll ever be able to understand our minds completely, but hopefully enough to be able to help each other ❤❤ good luck in your studies ❤❤ hugs you tightly ❤
@Tinywhisper11 Ugh definitely couldn't be a psychiatrist. Way too much math and chemistry subjects for medical school for me. I'm either going for the MSW and become a LCSW, or a master's in mental health counseling to be a LMHC. Statistics is as much as I will need. I lose interest when I see a Calculus class requirement. Hence, I'm getting a BA in psychology instead of a BS. I thought of the PhD but then I got to thinking I don't want to be in my early 40s before I graduate and can do anything. With college came the first time I really used practical thinking. I'm not sure what it was I was using before, but it often seeps back in.
@ThoughtLight councillors or any job involving mental health/or physical, is very admirable thing to do ❤ you will be helping people better their lives, so your a hero ❤and yea calculas/maths I would have turned around and rolled away fast at the idea of it♿♿😂😂 we definitely need many more people like you in this world ❤
@Tinywhisper11 when I graduate and get my professional license, I fully intend to volunteer providing counseling on the burn unit my mom is a patient on. It will be my way of giving back to the place that is saving her life. There already won't be a medical bill because just at 5 weeks it has hit over a million dollars. She's going to be walking around with a big price tag on her. I'm trying to get an internship experience from her surgeon since he's the burn unit director with is #1 in the country and so it he. I told him I couldn't repay if I gave him all the gold in the world for what he's doing. A lot of places still don't have the abilities he has and wouldn't have begun surgeries. So, I will give back by providing counseling. They have a peer program where former burn unit patients volunteer to come talk with current patients. And there's other therapy options including music therapy. When mom is at a lower risk of infection, she can do those. But she gets one-on-one in her room. I saw to it that they began that sooner than later. I've gained some inspiration from a very traumatic event. I could do without the PTS symptoms. I hate that hospital by this point, but they can't keep me away.
@ThoughtLight that is so sad, I'm sure I read about it in a previous post of yours? Your a good person, a really good person ❤❤ sends love and healing rainbow beans to you and your mum ❤❤ you already give back to everyone just by being you and wanting to help people. And I get what you mean about hating going to the hospital, personally I can't stand the amputation ward... In fact I'll never step foot in there again♿♿
😂😂😂😂😂 sorry a little dark humour about myself😂😂😂😂😂
@Tinywhisper11 dark humor and dry humor are my preference.
@ThoughtLight ❤😁❤
@ThoughtLight That sounds interesting perspective, Light. How do you feel as you explore these topics?
@ASilentObserver Well, actually speaking of the topic verbally and in typed form helps me to process it all more. I either never fully came out of shock or went so far beyond it I've reached a no-man's-land type of place. But I love exploring the mind. I do enjoy doing self-analysis but sometimes I go too deep at one go and come upon things I'm not ready to face. I like that in schools where you train in psychoanalysis you first must analyze yourself and do so on a weekly basis. Freud and Jung did it on themselves before on anyone else. The mind is seemingly limitless, no borders and nothing is impossible. A creator of worlds. Jung said only the tip of us lives consciousness and that the majority of ourselves we in the unconscious and collective unconscious. People find it hard to believe but Jung did a lot more work on the unconscious than Freud. And added a sub-basement called the collective unconscious. Imagination fuels all of my writing. Your mind can make a white blank canvas come to life. No need for TV or anything. I'm looking forward to more philosophy of the mind courses. In my psychology courses the mind isn't looked at in these ways. I learn more about Freud in courses for my literature degree rather than my psychology degree. If you want to test the limits of your mind study metaphysics. I would go into my theory on the mind/consciousness, but this isn't the place.
@ThoughtLight That is great, Light. It seems like you have a strong interest in psychology and the mind. Exploring these topics can certainly bring up difficult feelings, and it's important to take your time to process them. Thank you for sharing your perspectives with us <3
@ASilentObserver
All the time, honestly. I don't understand so much of myself that I can't help but think about these things. I feel like my mind is like hundreds of wires jumbled up together. And I'm just trying to undo them one at a time. Every time I get one cors out of the tangled mess I learn something. I get one cord out Oh I'm stressed out. Another cord, ah I'm overstimulated and so on. As I have mentioned before in some posts I don't really feel like I have an identity anymore and I really want to find myself again. So, I'm taking a lot more time than usual reflecting and taking care of myself.
Also, your prompts are always 10 out of 10.
@JollyRacher stay! Right where you are, I'll come find you ❤❤ 😁 it's hard understand our minds so easy to get lost. But I'm right here if you ever need me ❤❤ gives you a giant tiny hug ❤
@JollyRacher I am glad you are doing some deep self-reflection right now. What thoughts come up as you explore your mind?
@ASilentObserver
Who am I really? What was I like? What do I like? What do I want to do? What am I feeling? Am I going insane? What is it that I truly want to achieve in life? And the list goes on.
@JollyRacher wow! That's a lot of thoughts and questions. Honey thinking is bad for our health, so stop thinking😁 only joking ❤ a lot of your questions are about the past or future it seems, which is understandable and normal ❤ but perhaps what might help is to realise you are you and you are living at this very moment, and that's all you need to do, be present right now ❤❤ it helps me anyways ❤ hugs you tightly ❤I love you ❤
I don't understand how I can know thatt negative self talk is very bad for my mind, yet I can't stop doing it.
@Positron2 the mind works in mysterious ways👻 but yeah I agree saying nice things about yourself is hard ❤❤ but I think your awsome I always have ❤❤
And me.. Well I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror!!... They need to lower those damn! Mirrors♿♿
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@Positron2 Thank you for sharing some insight into how your inner experience is working for you right now. When you give yourself negative self-talk, you recognize that it is working against you. Yet, it feels like you can't stop doing it. That seems a paradox. You want to stop, but you can't stop.
Have you ever stopped to ponder the complexities of your own mind?
Yes, I have and it gets too complicated and messy, sometimes. With therapy and writing about some of it, I've been able to understand some of my mind a lot better.
@WharfRat I don't think we'll ever understand our minds completely, but I'm glad therapy and writting has helped you understand a bit. I hope I get to understand soon too ❤❤ gives you a giant tiny hug ❤
@WharfRat That makes a lot of sense, and I am glad you have found ways to cope with it. What do you enjoy most about writing?
@ASilentObserver
I can make up whatever I want. I can get things off my chest.
I suppose if one can count staring at something completely incomprehensible then looking away quickly to raid the chocolate stash "pondering" than sure.
I do learn what I can about it - videos such as Einzelgänger and TED talks are usually in daily rotation, as well as different books, exercises and practices.
@communicativePond1728 it's good that your trying to learn ❤❤hugs you tightly ❤❤ chocolate stash🤔🤔 I definetly need to get me one of those😂
@Tinywhisper11
I don't even know what I'm trying to learn sometimes so I'm not sure if it is good or not. Maybe it's great! Showing that mad scientist side to full effect?
@communicativePond1728 haha! Well Einstein, if you learn any breakthroughs let us know ❤❤
@Tinywhisper11
Had some breakthroughs today when it comes to the way labels can trap us into believing we're broken, how being stuck is okay and that the mind is powerful enough to create whatever we want basically 😲
@communicativePond1728 wow! Our brains are really clever but strange things. ❤ thanks for sharing this with me.🤔🤔🤔 I think I should try and make my mind believe I can walk🤔🤔 I wonder if that will work🤔🤔😂
I love you ❤
@Tinywhisper11 I can't even make my mind believe in sleep when i need it or a dang shower sometimes either but y'all tell me how that goes maybe I'm missing something.
Apparently that Dr. Joe Dispenza healed his spine and prevented himself needing surgery and that lady brought herself back from dying in a coma so who knows?
@communicativePond1728 wow! Really?? I'm not sure of your beliefs but I would say it was their guardian angel, not power of mind. My spine is broken and not completely fixable, they amputated my legs, if the mind could heal itself, that would be awsome ❤
@Tinywhisper11 yah that would take a pretty epic feat of bioengineering but I mean ...these days I wonder what isn't possible sometimes
@communicativePond1728 It sounds like you have been doing some research on understanding the mind. What have you found most interesting so far?
@ASilentObserver
yes, absolutely
Very often. Usually when going to bed, pondering and thinkering about all kinds of things at the same time. I can go to bed tired, but still be wide awake for a while😴
@Michelh1996 It sounds like you have a lot on your mind these days. What kinds of thoughts tend to go through your mind when you're lying down trying to fall asleep?
@ASilentObserver At the moment it is mostly my eating problems and signing up with a therapist. Making me think about the conversations, feeling some fear about opening up to them and my parents, dealing with all the thoughts in my mind that I have been struggling with the past period.
But at the same time, the thoughts when I try to sleep are not always bad, I can lie away thinking about a song I heard on the radio that day, singing it. Think about upcoming events, or hobby's and working out plans or other stuff about them.
@Michelh1996 I hear you Michel Opening up to a therapist and sharing your struggles takes courage. Keep taking your small steps and know you are not alone in this. What feelings come to mind when you think about sharing with a therapist?
@ASilentObserver Probably mostly relief and a bit of pride for finally being able to take this step, but also a bit of fear of uncertainty because I am going to have to make changes and steps that I have not been able to take by myself, and even if the therapist can help me with them, in the end I have to do it myself and keep it up by myself. In a way I have doubts when I think about the coming journey with my therapist. I realize that just because I made this decision, that doesn't solve anything just yet, but it is the start of having to face it more and then changing things that will be difficult for me.
@Michelh1996 That feels like there is a sense of relief and pride in taking this step, but also some fear of the unknown and what you'll need to do differently.
@ASilentObserver
'So, I invite you to pause for a moment and ponder the intricacies of your mind. What stories are you telling yourself? What beliefs are shaping your reality? What emotions are guiding your actions? Let us get started on this journey of self-discovery together, supporting and empowering each other along the way.'
The stories that I tell myself are ones that are positive and uplifting. I try to stay in the present as much as possible, but I do then to look towards the future a good amount. I always think that I am going to be successful and do good things for other people and am going to be remembered. I want to do good for others and empathy is what guides my actions. I'm not sure if that is an emotion, but I always try to be understanding of others and comprehensive. I believe that the world can be a good place sometimes and that there is good in everyone and other's truly want to see good things for other people.
Thanks,
E
@sincerePlane4053 @ASilentObserver
I think that my mind is complex in the sense that it needs to be stimulated on multiple levels to be productive and successful. It is weird, but under stress it seems that I may actually do my best. I have different levels of thoughts throughout my subconscious and think about different things in various perspectives. I want to be efficient and only do things when they are necessary. If it is hard, why do it? If it is easy, why should I do that too?
Just some thoughts.
E
@sincerePlane4053 It sounds like you have a strong sense of purpose and values that guide you. Your desire to make a positive impact and do good for others is admirable. How do you feel when you focus on the present moment?
@ASilentObserver
Thank you, I appreciate those kind words. When I focus on the present moment, it can be quite liberating because there is nothing like what is going on in your environment at that given circumstance. However, it also depends on what is going on at the moment, depending on what I can handle, I may deflect and go back into the past or into the future. It is hard to do something when there are so many stimuli around us.
E
@sincerePlane4053 That makes a lot of sense, E. So how do you feel when you get caught up in the past or the future?
@ASilentObserver
When I get caught up in the past, it is normally something that was probably a bit traumatizing. Sometimes there are good things that come up in the past, but there was a lot of trauma that happened to me as a child and it did not stop until I was more developed. The present is the safest place for me to be because i cant influence how it is going to affect me. When I look to the future, it is usually something that is positive and can be a bit grandiose, but in general it just depends. it is much more promising than the past.
E
@sincerePlane4053 I hear you and it makes sense that you find the present to be the safest place for you right now. Thinking about the future can bring up both positive possibilities and painful memories. If I can ask you, what helps you stay grounded in the present moment?
@ASilentObserver there are very few things that allow me to stay in the present, but I have noticed that observing my environment and trying to think of the things around me at that certain point in time usually helps. it just depends how far into it i look. listening to music can sometimes help, but that also depends too.
E
@sincerePlane4053 That is awesome plane. You have found some useful strategies for staying grounded in the present moment. Music can also be helpful, though finding the right type of music for that moment is the key. Keep taking your small steps and know you have all of USS here with you
