I’ve been noticing lately that I’ve been on autopilot a little more often, just getting through my busy days in default mode.
It happens sometimes.
Sometimes it just feels like the humdrum of everyday life – drag yourself out of bed, rush off to work, check off the to-do list, hurry up and get home, collapse onto the couch. Repeat daily.
Sometimes, though, you begin to take notice. I did by the week’s end, but by that time I was just about to tell just about everybody to just piss off (politely, of course).
And I was pissed off.
A relative is in town visiting, the teen had this thing to do on Wednesday, that thing to do on Thursday, and just one more thing (she-forgot-to-tell-me-about) to do on Friday.
Last night, I’d suddenly realized I hadn’t read much, walked in nature, or even meditated for three whole days.
I was pissed off, at myself.
Make conscious choices.
I’d realized that I wasn’t making conscious choices – I had allowed circumstances, even other people, to make choices for me, just dragging me along.
When I deliberately choose what to think, say, and do in my life, I purposefully live my life. I am not following, chasing, or even just trying to catch up with the expectations of others, or some unrealistic notions of what I’m supposed to think, say, or do, who I’m supposed to be.
When I make conscious choices, I lead my life in the direction I choose to go. I take action in and responsibility for living my own life.
And living life out loud is good.
Take deliberate actions.
Later this morning, the teen wants to travel somewhere to practice, to play. It’ll be a three-hour tour for me. I’m willing to taxi her. I truly am. Her playful practice brings me happiness too.
She’s brilliant, and it’s beautiful to see her play.
And I’ve deliberately decided to play myself while she’s out, playing out her own life. I’ll take a good, long hike for about an hour. And then I’ll go and sit in a little local coffee shop for a hot cup and a good read.
It’ll be invigorating and delicious.
It’s easier than you think.
Sometimes, as I snap out of it, this automatic thinking thing, I think it’s hard to make deliberate, conscious choices. Being mindful is hard, but it’s easy too.
All you have to do is be consciously aware of your thinking. Just think about everything you think, say, and do. Just practice. Make it a habit. Be deliberate. Live consciously.
It’s that easy.
And hard.
Practice.
Do you ever experience autopilot or default mode? What choices do you make? What actions do you take?
eM,
Even at high speed, which is basically the only speed I know, I will find myself auto-piloting occasionally, especially at work. And it’s when I auto-pilot for a long period of time that I usually disconnect with work. My way out is usually by challenging myself with a new project,or push the boundaries.
Eric
Now, that is an interesting approach, challenging yourself, shaking it up a bit. I haven’t thought about snapping out of autopilot that way. I just may give it a go. I realize a full life is often a busy life too, and I’m glad my brain and body want to do so many things. I just have to watch for the signs so I don’t end up automatically doing things that take up my time, but don’t actually fill up my life with what I intend, love and happiness. Thanks for sharing your brilliant brain with me.
Had a serious problem with auto pilot mode for the past four months. So much so that i made the new years resolution “to piss more people off”. This is certainly not me but unfortunately i had let work get to me so much that my thinking was so clouded and i had become so angry with the world.
I have just finished Savour in the past week and have been putting some of the techniques that are written in the book into practice. So instead of coming home, collapsing on the couch and barking at the kids. I have started to mindfully play and interact with them.
Playing tickle monster with the youngest or hungry hippos with the eldest has become two totally different games. Just being in the moment with them enjoying the laughs and the giggles. Being grateful for having two happy healthy kids growing up in a sound family environment. Makes all the work stress and anxiety melt away.
Now just to incorporate more into my daily life in different situations. After all its only work. Its not like its the be all and end all.
I suspect your New Year’s resolution is simply your wish to live your life the way you want to, even if that means you resolve “to piss more people off”. Sometimes, and I have had those times in my life, though long ago now, pissing people off is really more about their own choices in rejecting my choice to live my life out loud. Saying no to others, or disagreeing with others, or even removing oneself from another’s life is not a desire to piss them off, it’s simply a desire to live a happy life. That work world can be a challenge, and, I agree, it is absolutely not the be all or end all. The work world can simply be for a living wage, but it’s not our living. I’m so happy to read about your laughing and giggling living. That is the life!
Now beyond the fact that I generally appreciate and enjoy your take on things, and feel that in may ways we are kindred spirits – I tend to agree with friend Le Clown, you must pull the plug on “Auto” and return to manual! Of course it sucks because you can’t blame anything on that annoying glitch in the machine, but in the long run it is much more fun (and deep down dearie you know that;).
XXXOOO
V.
I absolutely own my autopilot moments (mea culpa), and that’s why, when I consciously snap out of them (pull the plug, as you write), I take full responsibility, and then return to being more mindful (manual) of my thoughts, words, and actions. I tried to express this in this post; not sure if I did, though. And, yes, I do know that deep down. Conscious living is more fun, despite my autopilot lapses. Thanks for your loving nudging of my mind and spirit, Victoria. I appreciate your words, especially right now.
I love ths post! I try hard to be Mindful. It’s a process. It’s so worth it!!
XX
“I’ll take a good, long hike for about an hour. And then I’ll go and sit in a little local coffee shop for a hot cup and a good read”….sounds like bliss to me! Enjoy
It was wonderful, Pam! Plus I stopped off at the paint store and picked up some lovely color cards. Choices galore! Thanks for stopping in and reading my post.
Glad you had such a lovely time, those small chunks of precious Alone are so, well, precious
Good thought and reminder, thank you…
I’m not sure if I qualify to contribute — I always thought the breakdown lane was for those who go extra slow (me)… but whenever I fly – manual or auto – I inevitably end up landing, for fuel, maintenance, etc… Now that I realize this (necessity) I try to keep some kind of map in my mind – of good landing places – just in case… and I make it a point to keep an eye on the gauges… not sure if any of this makes sense, but it does to me
You are so clever, ST! I intend to implement your flight and grounding plans. Happy day to you!
Amazing post! Noticing we’ve shifted to auto-pilot and gently steering ourselves back to mindfulness is a beautiful thing. Rapt to discover your blog. Elisa x
Hello, Elisa,
Thanks for stumbling across my blog — I’m always amazed and delighted when this happens. I appreciate your kind words. In living my life as mindfully and happily as I intend to and practice doing, I have discovered opportunities and possibilities in abundance. I enjoy being a learner, one who lives simply through moment to moment practice. This alone continues to make life happier. Many thanks for reading and responding.
♡eM
This is very familiar… I get so caught up in being ‘mum’ and ‘worker’ that it’s hard to shake and find ‘me’… but when I do, it is liberating and a happy time! When i choose HOW to react even in the midst of daily routine… things seem to go a lot better! And I LOVE my ‘me’ time – in a coffee shop reading or writing. Those times are precious to me
Yes, it’s easy to drift off into mind-less-ness – such is the nature of life itself regardless of the busy-ness I think I have, I create. And I do prefer to gently return to mindfulness. When I shake things up, judgement sometimes sneaks in – someday I’d like to choose almost automatically, but just not on autopilot, um, er, huh? I’d like it to be a good habit, one I dare not break. Thanks for commenting. I’m reading a book right now (won it in a Twitter retweet contest), How to do Everything and be Happy, and the author, Peter Jones, suggests calendaring one day a month that is not preplanned. The aim is to just awake and do whatever you want to do all day, not what you think you have to or should do. You can plan for the day (calendar it, arrange for a sitter, etc.), but not what you’ll actually do on the day. I’m going to have a go! I think I’ll call it Spontaneous Living Day.
oooh, sounds good – let us know what happens, please!
Not sure I could do that… I’m so locked into ‘my things’, I’d probably just stand around being confused if I gave myself absolute spontaneity like that! I’d probably end up reading all day