Karen Restivo
In Other Words....
Seriously, where would we be without our playlists?
Varieties of playlists are endless when it comes to reflecting our lifestyles, emotions, personalities, dare I say identities.
They serve a purpose when it comes to mood regulation and emotional connections to our favorite people.
Some people are even known for their hottest hits playlist - no one can come close to Sherry B.’s playlist at Mahjong on Wednesdays at the Country Club.
The beauty of a playlist is that it puts each of us in control of what we want to listen to throughout our day.
When it comes to the voice in our head, we mistakenly assume that it is a designated playlist of our identity given free access to choose an endless selection of thoughts.
Let me be clear, the voice in your head is not you.
It’s generated from your past life experiences, traumas, memories and belief systems created through your family systems.
Neuroscientists refer to it as a Default Mode Network, also known as ‘Monkey Mind,’ by Buddhists.
According to @kill.the.ego on Instagram, “Most people live their entire lives without ever changing the station.
It plays reruns of shame, fear, and doubt on loop.
This mental noise isn’t you.
But it sounds exactly like you.
The problem isn’t that the voice exists.
It’s that you believe it.”
It’s time to take charge of the playlist in your head.
The run-a-way voice in your head is not required listening.
@kill.the.ego they have something to say about harnessing those thoughts, showing them the exit and opening the door to meditation.
“Meditation doesn’t silence the mind. It changes your relationship with it. Your inner critic is not wise. It’s just loud.
“The prefrontal cortex is where self-judgment lives, but it’s also where awareness awakens.
“Neuroplasticity means we can literally rewire how we think. Yoga teaches the same through pratyahara.
“You don’t have to believe every thought just because it’s familiar.”
Here are their suggestions on how to change the station:
*Not with force. With practice. Meditation. Breathwork.
*Trauma-informed movement.
*Every time you observe instead of reacting, you tune into a deeper frequency.
*It’s not positive thinking.
*It’s spiritual reprogramming.
In other words, once you observe the chatter as something other than yourself, you open the gateway to presence, the Now.
It’s essential to be mindful of what you’re watching on television, listening to on podcasts or engaging in with your circle of friends while generating your new playlists.
From time to time your old mental playlist may show up unconsciously; just direct it to the trash bin.
Karenrestivo57@gmail.com