How to Stop a Racing Mind

It is very hard to be still these days. Between the busyness of life, the often frantic speed of modern society, and the immediacy that the internet brings to everything, it’s no wonder that the art of slowing down escapes us. Many people are saying that nobody has any patience anymore, and to an extent this may be true. But I think that is only a symptom of the real problem. It is not that were unwilling to wait, we have simply forgotten how.

I want to specify before we go further that I’m specifically targeting about a racing mind due to anxiety. People sometimes say that their mind is racing due to excitement, and they usually mean this as a positive thing. I want to talk about this issue when it’s a problem.

Now, in my experience, about one person in ten has a racing mind all the time. They’re always worried about one thing or another, are never able to settle down, and often have trouble sleeping because of it. Another term for it is “stressed out.” Most people in this category don’t really know why they are the way they are. They are typically aware that they worry too much, but tend to see it as unavoidable. That’s the 10 percent minority, so what about the rest of us?

I’d say about 80 percent of us struggle with this same thing at least some of the time. My mind has been racing lately because of all the long-term projects finally coming to a head! But I think the key point here is responsibility. Our mind races when we feel too many things demanding our attention, and this can come in either a positive or negative manifestation.

We’ll use my wife, Hope, as an example. She never had any trouble sleeping until our first son, Harry, came along. Suddenly, she woke up at the slightest disturbance, and she was constantly fretting over him. The positive manifestation is concern. She cares for him, so obviously she’ll make sure he’s doing alright to the best of her ability. But concern only goes as far as is practical. It eschews needless anxiety, and it does not bring fear.

The negative manifestation is worry. Rather than love, this type is based on fear. Perhaps you’ve heard of babies who stop breathing in the crib. Love makes sure that the baby is healthy and, having satisfied itself, moves on. But fear can’t move on. It worries and frets, even about circumstances it has no real reason to fear. This is what prevents our minds from being still. As usual, the circumstances aren’t really the problem, they are only triggers.

The key is to understand where these triggers come from. You have to understand that this type of fear is almost never about your current circumstances. What’s being triggered is the memory of a past circumstance, something with unhealed pain or lies you’re still believing. The Healing Codes have a powerful ability to heal these, but above all, you must take your thoughts captive. Ask yourself throughout the day if your thoughts are based on love or fear. Do both together, and you’ll soon bring your racing mind back under control.

Have a blessed, wonderful day!