Banish the Elephant

There is often an elephant in the room.  By that I mean there is an important situation lurking that overshadows everything else in your life.  It could be a job interview, a surgery, or wondering if your offer on a new house will be accepted.  When the elephant enters the center of your mind, it is both exhausting and nerve-wracking to think about it all the time. It is also boring, and possibly annoying to those around you if you constantly talk about it.

So, how do you keep the elephant out of your consciousness and put it back in the jungle where it belongs?

Compartmentalization.  (I love seven syllable words.)

You simply need to sequester the elephant and fill the compartments of your mind with other ideas to temporarily distract yourself.  In other words, change the subject internally.

If you’re talking with someone, you might bring up a new topic. Try asking a question such as:

1. What was the happiest time of your life?
2. What was the most embarrassing moment of your life?
3. What’s your favorite movie or food?

If you’re by yourself and can’t stop the elephant from trampling through your thoughts, call a friend or family member to start a conversation. Turn on the TV. Read a book (you could even read the dictionary).  You just have to displace the thought of the (****) with one or more other thoughts.

Or, better yet, don’t think about the (****) at all.  This may take some practice.  For myself, when I walk out of the door of my office I have learned to leave my business concerns where they belong.  This habit has been especially helpful since March of 2020 when I began working from home.  When I leave my home office for lunch, the (****) stays in the office.  I never invite an elephant to lunch.

We have more control over our thoughts than we realize.

For example, over the past few minutes you’ve been thinking about my elephant, not yours. Right?

Alan