Mind Reading

Well not quite mind reading! This is a small selection of books from my library, all with a common theme; The Mind.

I've always been fascinated by the mind and why people are the way they are, what makes us tick and why are we so different. At least that was one of the initial assumptions that I wanted to investigate. Whilst I appreciate that we are all different, I have found the things that drive us are fundamentally the same.

Perspective plays a large part in causing conflict with others. As we go through life thought patterns become so ingrained in our everyday
lives that we don't even realise that our thoughts drive our actions, at times, almost subconsciously. After many years of studying this area, the most eye opening area that I've read about is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is so simple yet so powerful. At first glance it could appear too simple to be taken seriously. However, it does appear to be becoming more popular. Unlike many self help books, mindfulness doesn't tell you what to think, or give you a step by step guide of what to do in different situations - it simply lets you learn to become more aware of your own thoughts and how your body is reacting to those thoughts. Thoughts are, at the end of the day, like rumours in the mind. They may be true but they may not be - yet many of us react too quickly to the first thought that pops into our head. Thoughts that are often from our own perspective. Mindfulness helps you to live in the moment and to stop bringing negative experiences from the past or hopes for the future. Many people don't live in the present and they aren't even aware of it.

Do you think about all the things you still need to do whilst doing the dishes? Do you quickly take the dog for a walk and whilst walking the dog think about how bad your day has been, causing you to miss the experience of enjoying the time with your dog?

I've spent years living this way...Trying to figure people out, learning how the brain works, what drives emotional reactions, how stress affects the body, interpreting body language, learning how to detect lies.... The list goes on. Ultimately, reading all of these books raised even more questions than answers... It made me more analytical (if that was possible!).

I'm sure there would be many specialists who would disagree with me, but ultimately I have found perspective is crucial; past experiences drive these perspectives and only when one becomes aware of one's own perspective can we appreciate not only our own perspectives but also understand other people's. It can make you more tolerant when you realise that often people aren't trying to be awkward - they just have different goals/dreams/pressures today. Mindfulness lets you tap in to this, as you gradually learn how to be more present and aware of your own thoughts. I would highly recommend it as an uplifting approach to life!