Meet your monkeys of digital distraction
A 5-minute practice to choose sanity in a world of constant diversion
Hey, Brave Soul! We’re here to trust our inner guidance and face the inner Monkeys that tempt us away from our path. Are you unfocused, easily distracted these days? Me too. It’s okay. We’re sorting insane levels of uncertainty. Today’s repost on the Distractor Monkey includes a 5-minute practice to get clarity on where attention goes and energy flows.
My mom was a queen of distracted multitasking.
It’s Mother’s Day in the US. Calling my mom for one of her epic 2-hour check-ins, I could hear her munching a kale salad, shuffling cards for solitaire, always a loud TV show playing. Undiagnosed ADHD? (my sisters got a late diagnosis). She was also a Zen Buddhist adept and daily meditator who passed away four months ago. Wherever you are in your mom journey, I send you love; mothering and being mothered open big portals.
So, do you start something —— but then you switch to something else?
What do you want most right now?
I want to share the contents of my heart and connect with you. But these four types of mental Monkeys have other plans. All quite active these days:
Demander Monkey wants to be right. Win a stupid argument. Control stuff. Make things perfect. Know everything that’s going on (as if that will save us).
Defender Monkey wants to blame everybody for why I feel bad. It’s your fault I’m frustrated, etc! Easier than seeing how I may be clogging up my inner experience.
Downer Monkey is a highly sensitive creature who spins worst-case-scenario stories. She feels big things that can drain my energy. Things get kinda drown-y.
Distractor Monkey is an escape artist who takes me away from messy moments and scary stuff. Distraction feeds the desire for comfort, fun, and novelty, things that feel familiar. Smiley. Yummy. Snacky. Nothing wrong with that, right?
Homage to Distractor Monkey:
It’s vital to rest our nervous systems, laugh a lot, and give ourselves many breaks.
But sometimes you want to focus and create something of value. Show up for the hard parts of a thing. The brave bits ask us to notice and melt the Distractors’ power. When I sense a Monkey in action, I try to pause for a deep breath: ahh… Take a moment to shake out my body, change the energy. I smile! And forgive myself.
Meditation and mindfulness practice say to quiet external stimuli and sit in silence, to hear the Monkey mind voices. I practice conscious movement, deep listening, soul journaling, and self-compassion, daily. How about you?
Your creative work is a portal to mindfulness.
Monkeys of Distraction work hard to save me from pursuing the vulnerable, brave, challenging, heroic, potentially weird, and socially risky creations of my soul. This week as I prepped for an in-person pitch with literary agents, I found myself rummaging in the kitchen cabinets, searching for ‘something,’ so many times!
When I get anxious, nervous, overwhelmed, or unsettled, Distractor Monkey picks up my phone, to check on… an hour later… I feel a bit empty? Yay, Digital Dopamine.
Screens, games, news, 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? Try the UnPlug Tool below, and let us know what you find out!
Meet your inner critters and characters
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for a live chat devoted to “Inner Imps & Meanies: Creative Healing” Monday May 12, 9am PST :: 5pm BST. Subscribers get notifications. (Attn: IFS parts peeps: and )
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 into 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 most want to focus on.
VISUALIZE unplugging all media or devices that don‘t support your intention.
REFLECT: “I choose to focus on...”
Make it Real: Focus on what matters most
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.
🗣️ Your turn: What distractions are your go-to? How do you feel after? What helps you redirect your attention?
I’m so grateful you’re here! If this story or practice resonates with you, please subscribe, or: click the like button, share your thoughts, send to a fellow creative. You make my soul sing!
Bless your Hearts and all your Parts,
Thank you for your engaging piece, Meet Your Monkeys of Digital Distraction. Your metaphorical approach to addressing the challenges of digital distraction is both creative and relatable. By personifying these distractions as "monkeys," you provide readers with a tangible way to recognize and manage the various facets of their attention. Your 5-minute practice offers a practical tool for readers to reclaim their focus and navigate the digital landscape with greater mindfulness.
My monkey only seems to go mad when I think about writing another novel. It lets me get on with poetry fine! Although sometimes I do hear it saying, you'll never publish a second poetry book... I shall use the unplug technique and see how I get on with writing another novel. Thank you!