Lost In Thought

Do you ever just find yourself lost in thought? When you’re driving from A to B and not even know how you made it to your destination. Or when you’re listening to music on a walk and half way through the walk you realise you haven’t even listened to a song. Or when you’re laying in bed, eyes shut yet unable to mentally switch off…

Our mind is a force to be reckoned with. It is where we can be deep in our own thoughts whilst being blissfully unaware of the present. With our thoughts we can assess situations, use our imagination, recreate the feelings of past emotions and so much more.

During my teen years, I was figuring out things like my career, who my friends were and questioning myself as to why I’m doing certain things. I remember becoming easily overwhelmed and would always find myself lost in thought. I would get confused in my mind and go over things again and again without coming to a solution. I would cry at night sometimes not actually understanding why. I would also not try to make a change in myself – I guess because I didn’t know how. It wasn’t until my partner came into my life where he actually helped me break down my thoughts and feelings. He was (and still is) very patient with me.

I will mention clearly that being lost in thought isn’t necessarily bad, it can be euphoric and fun. However it’s when the thoughts affect you negatively then it’s time to recognise it and work it out. I can say that over the past few years I focused on how I work as a person and how I process things. I have seen such an improvement in myself and I am proud of that. There are a few things that I have learnt along the way and love to do when experiencing those lost in thought moments. I find talking to my partner or a friend helps. If the person can actively listen despite how silly I may sound and then help me break it down, then that is a true friend. I have learnt to have my walls down in a conversation, if they are up then there’s no point talking. This will only create more issues and it’s best to try chat again at a later date.

Journaling is my personal escape where I can write whatever, however and whenever. It is a place where I can look back and see how much I’ve grown and it is a place of personal reflection. It is also judgemental free, no one to question me – just me and my thoughts free to go wild on paper. 

Being active allows me to get fresh air, appreciate my surroundings and release endorphins. After exercising I find I can think more clearly and sometimes what I was initially upset about is no longer an issue. It is proven time and time again that exercise of any form helps improve mental health. 

It’s these few things that I’ve found so beneficial over the years. Although sometimes we get lost in our own thoughts and it can be overwhelming and hard at times, it is even more important to acknowledge them. It’s the classic quote people say “when you sweep things under the rug, sooner or later it needs to be cleaned out.” I encourage you to find ways to acknowledge your negative lost in thought moments. Embrace it. This is where we are the most self aware of ourselves.