Monkeys of Digital Distraction
Parts Work #7: Which part of me took over my day? Again? Plus a 5-minute practice to tap the power of choice in a world of distractions.
In this space we explore our Heart’s desires, our Soul’s intuitive guidance, and the Monkeys that twerk all over our intentions. Wanna get more clear on how you spend your attention? Today’s 5-minute creative practice is for you. PS: If showing up for your heart’s nudges feels nicer than a full tub of Chunky Monkey, subscribe for more creative tools and prompts.
What does your heart long for? Maybe to make a something (or finish it). Or reach out to someone in a certain way.
But then you do something else:
You’re SO not alone. I’m a grown-ass lady on a HeartsQuest. I want to show up fully, to create and connect from my Heart, and follow my intuition.
But the Monkeys in my mind want other things. They want to be right. Perfect. Win a stupid argument. Control things. OR go with whatever distraction tickles my fancy.
Monkeys of Distraction are actually… saviors. They want to save me from pursuing that vulnerable, brave, challenging, heroic, potentially weird, and socially risky ‘something’ that my Heart and Soul want. Distractions feed my desire for comfort and novelty. They’re familiar. Smiley. Yummy. Nothing wrong with that, right? Right.
Let’s not shame our Monkeys for their natural behavior. They’re here to do a job (keep us safe) and they do it well!
Here’s an homage to the Distractor Monkey:
The Monkey Mind is an ancient Buddhist concept of fear-based, ego-centered thought patterns. We all have monkey minds, with dozens of monkeys clamoring for our attention, Buddha said, thousands of years before Facebook, Insta, and Tiktok.
When I get anxious, nervous, overwhelmed, or even slightly bored, the lil’ Monkeys fill my brain with mental junk food (lies). They say what I’m doing sucks. They insist that I absolutely must do this or that (get it right, dammit!). They manufacture horrid worst-case scenarios (nobody can relate to this). Then, because life sucks really hard, my cute little Distractor Monkey picks up my phone, to check... Yay 🙌🏽 Digital Dopamine.
Screens, games, and social media are designed to be super compelling, so IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT. Still, how do you want to spend your precious time on planet Earth?
Meditation and mindfulness techniques encourage us to quiet these external stimuli and sit in silence, so we can hear the Monkey mind voices within. I’m not a traditional meditation practitioner (but I was raised by a daily Za-Zen meditator, who lives with lots of Monkeys). However, I’m all in for deep listening, awareness, and self-compassion, the tenets of mindfulness. I like to mix it up with creative exploration.
The practices I share offer mini-journeys of creative imagination, with creative prompts, so you can gain more insight into your inner workings. The deck of tools, “HeartsQuest: Creative Tools to Navigate Change,” is found at HeartsQuest.com. Note: not one of my tools is a gun to destroy, vaporize, or minimize your Monkeys. I’ve tried it. The Monkeys keep popping up. But with gentle understanding, they DO relax.
Today’s Practice: The (un)Plug Tool
Follow this video featuring my ridiculous alter-ego Queen Poopicina sharing the potty-mouth ‘Holy Sh*t’ 💩 version of the practice and her freestylin’ songs. Or scroll down to read the steps.
How can I be more conscious with my attention?
CONSIDER all the digital media you use: Texting. Social media. Messaging. E-mail. News. Movies. Shows. Websites. Forums. Videos. Podcasts. Games. Etc.
IMAGINE each one as a plug feeding directly in and out of your brain. How does that feel?
NOTICE how much energy you give to each plug. What value does it offer in exchange?
BREATHE deeply into your heart, and imagine what you really want to focus on the most.
VISUALIZE unplugging all media or devices that don‘t support your heart‘s intention.
REFLECT: “I choose to focus on...”
Explore: Tell a friend or journal about your choices.
Create: Unplug for an hour. Notice how often you reach for a media device. No judgment.
Manifest: Schedule a full-day media-free cleanse. Do something you‘ve always wanted to do instead. Notice how you feel. Adjust your choices.
What do you give your attention to? What does your heart ask of you?
I’m so grateful you’re here to be Mostly Brave. Thanks for clicking the Heart button, sharing, and subscribing. Bless your Heart and all your Parts.💗