Trapped Mind

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A mind trapped in its own self-talk (mental chatter, background noise) is like getting stuck behind traffic in a noisy congested road going no-where. While we may have no control over the traffic, we can learn to unstuck our mind.
Un-stucking the Mind, Self-Reflection

Self-reflection, the ability to step back and re-examine our experiences mindfully helps with educating the mind about itself. About it’s own prejudices, biases, distractedness, limiting-habits, outdated beliefs, automatic reactions … that generate conflict, stress and search for distractions. Self-reflection also teachs the mind the art of discernment – to understand and remember when default (conceptual) thinking is useful and when it gets in the way and to put it down.

Such a discerning mind is empowered to eliminate and manage its self-created confusion and the resulting strong emotions that overwhelm and entrap it. And as conflicting thoughts and strong emotions abate, the mind connects to an abundant state that is the source of great creativity and life changing insights and intuitions. Getting connected with this source transforms our lives professionally and personally.

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious, it is the source of all art and science” – Einstein

Purposefully making time for self-reflection not only helps with self-awareness and learning about the ways our minds work (or not work), it also helps with creativity.

There are many well-known examples of brilliant ideas that came to people “out of nowhere”, from Archimedes in his bath, to Newton in his Lincolnshire garden and Paul McCartney who woke one morning having composed the tune for “Yesterday” in his sleep. Companies such as 3M, Pixar, Google, Twitter and Facebook have made ‘disconnected time’ key aspects of their workplace.Writes Manfred Kets De Vries, INSEAD Distinguished Professor of Leadership Development & Organisational Change, in The importance of doing nothing, in which he promotes daily self-reflection.

 

Kamran is an International Coach Federation (ICF) accredited experienced Professional Certified Coach (PCC). He focuses on executive coaching and leadership development coaching assignments. He leads a highly engaging and practical Workshop Series on EQ & Self-Reflective Practices for professionals in Dubai, UAE.

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