Reading and Writing

Getting the right mindset on anything you are doing is fundamental. If your not focused on what you are doing it is impossible to do it well. My mind trends to jump from idea to idea and topic to topic. Getting focused is a skill that takes work and effort on the part of the individual. I found that reading and writing helps to reset that random, haphazard mind that I sometimes have. It occurs when I have too many things on my mind, which is usually the case. Getting absorbed in writing and reading is well worth the effort. Sometimes however it can be a challenge depending on the setting your in.

     A quiet place can be a blessing on occasions. It removes all the clutter around so you won't be so easily distracted. Once you really get into the book or your writing the setting will matter less. The goal is to become engrossed in what your doing. One of my favorite sayings is, "when washing dishes just wash dishes." Even though dish washing may not be fun. However, if you really focus on it and do your best you will find that even a simple task like washing the dishes can be fun and fulfilling. Your mindset is the most important thing for your happiness and satisfaction.  

      Another good thing to do which involves writing is making lists. When you write something down you are making it your destiny to do it. So making a list of things you want to or need to get accomplished is a great way to do them without tossing the idea back and forth in your head. When you toss the idea around in your head it usually does just that, go back and forth and nowhere else. 

      When you write it out whether it is a list, journal entry, short story or any other form of writing it sets that thought more firmly in your mind. It makes it solid and a part of you. You can use this for your benefit. For example, let's say you want to stop drinking beer ( I don't intend too.) but for illustrative purposes let's use that.

      So you would write an essay about how you plan on and how you want to stop drinking beer. You get it out there on the interweb and thereby hold yourself accountable. You could also include all the benefits of not drinking beer such as... Well can't really think of any except not having too much and acting stupid. 

      That's all it really takes. Sometimes you may want to do something but forget about it. We can only have one thought at a time and if the one we want to do isn't ingrained in our head we would soon forget about it and move on to something else. Stupid monkey minds we have. So reading and writing something out helps in that it etches into our brains the topic, thought or idea we want to remember. The more we write about it the more important it becomes to us. Maybe that's why teachers used to make us write and rewrite certain things on the blackboard. Well at least that's what we did back I my day. Not that I was the one writing on the blackboard. That task was typically reserved for those who needed to not repeat a previous action they did. 

      The written word is truly a magical thing. For me it helps me formulate thoughts and opinions in a way that I couldn't vocalize. So I guess I better just keep writing. As well as think ( writing internalized) before I speak.

"don't mind the foot in mouth."

-Barton