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Self Monitor

This post was written by DoctorJay on January 8, 2009
Posted Under: Success

We each have challenges in life. Some may be body challenges like allergies, over weight, tired all the time, and others may be mental and psychological challenges like worrying too much, feeling depressed, uncontrollable habits. Note that in reality we are a single body, mind, soul, spirit and everything has psychosomatic reasons. One way of alleviating any challenge is too monitor your life (what you eat, what you think and so on).

To this end it is good to have a journal and note at first all aspects of your life and then you can cut down the noting to only your challenging areas. The reason that I’m saying note all aspects of your life is that you really don’t know what sets off the sub-optimal behavior. It could be that say are slightly allergic to a food you eat and the next day you are constipated or have a migraine headache. It could be that when you have an argument with your spouse your immune system is weekend.

In the journal you record what you eat, what comes out, how you feel, what exercise you do and remember every movement is exercise so you can write that you parked the other side of the parking lot and walked fifty yards to the store. You write that you had a worrying thought and you started to obsess about it. Of course an important aspect of journalling is to note what makes you feel good in the body, mind, soul, spirit.

You not when you forgive and when you are resentful. You note how you feel when you forgive and practice unconditional loving and when you are angry and hateful. You note the gains and losses from negative emotions and gains and losses from positive emotions. You notice what happens when you smile for no reason at all (even a forced pretend smile changes your physiology and makes you feel better).

By the way as far as I know there is nothing wrong with negative emotions in the moment (although it is best not to make them into a habit). The problem is that we hold onto our resentments. I have written elsewere about the Zen master and novice who came to a young lady crying at a fast moving riverbank. The master carries her to the other side and eight hours later the novice say angrily, “But master aren’t we supposed not to touch females?” The master notes that he had dropped the lady at the other side of the river bank and the novice had continued to carry her on his back all this time.

Another Zen story is also apt about negative emotions. The masters best friend died and the master was crying. The novice said smugly, “Master isn’t life all an illusion?” The master smiled gently in his tears and said, “That is true life is illusory.” The novice continued, “Is not death an illusion.” The master replied, “That is true all is illusion.” The student grinned with a I got you at last look and said, “Then why are you crying.” The master continued sobbing and said, “My best friend has died. I’m sad and I’m crying.”

So do not carry your negative emotions on your back. Let them go their own way after you are done with them but do remember the words of Ecclesiastes about a time for every season. A time to laugh and a time too cry. However, also remember to smile and laugh even when crying.

Ecclesiastes 3:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

In the Chinese book of changes the whole philosophy is that all changes and there is no good or bad action but actions are in time (going with the flow) or out of time going against the flow. Above piece from the Bible shows how we have similar idea in the West as well even if we have forgotten it.

By recording your life you will be more in tune with the season of your life. So get that journal and start journalling. Write everything down. Make sure this is totally private and then you can write your deepest thoughts – those thoughts you hardly dare admit to your self let alone others and exactly what you eat not what you pretend to eat.

Finally remember the words of the Greek philosopher Socrates who said, “An unexamined life is not worth living,” and the words on the enterance of the Temple of Appolo at Delphi, “Know yourself.”