The Wandering Mind

[Wgreen]

According to the following article, mind-wandering tends to make people unhappy:

Does a wandering mind make you more creative – and more unhappy?

“People spend 46.9 percent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they’re doing, and this mind-wandering typically makes them unhappy. So says a study that used an iPhone Web app to gather 250,000 data points on subjects’ thoughts, feelings, and actions as they went about their lives.”

Since ADD minds tend to wander [exponentially] more than average, I thought I’d post it. For what it’s worth…

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[Robbo]

That’s a cool article, thanks for posting. For me it’s kinda encouraging. I sometimes depend on the wanderings of my subconscious mind to solve problems when I run out of enthusiasm, or just get bored solving some conundrum.

If I’m happy a lil more than half the time then I win. It’s just not realistic to expect happiness all the time. It’s hard to imagine how letting my mind wander can add to my unhappiness. Mostly the places my mind wanders end up being kind of entertaining. Accept for the nightmares about being chased by a giant chicken.

I had a dream a few days ago that was so goofy, I woke up still laughing. I think actual dreaming and day-dreaming/mind wandering are closely related. I wonder…

Get it? “I wonder”

That dream I had was so fun I ended up writing down as many of the details about the characters and circumstances to imagine building a short story out of it. First I guess I should learn to write a lil better. I bet this article n the ones it linked to can help with writers block for people who like to write. I wonder about that too.

Then I start to wander, that’s why it’s hard to read some of my posts, huh?. hmmmm.

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[Anonymous]

Neat article. I’ve always been able to see most situations in so many ways, so I often come up withsome truly fantastic (or ttruly insane) solutions right out of thin air (or left field as my husband likes to tease).

Also the happiness thing, I guess it depends on whether your wanderings are all sunshine and lolipops, or dark and twisty. Though it does kind of go back to the comorbidity with depression.

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[Anonymous]

I love my wandering mind. If you ever have had to sit through boring conferences on exactly the same thing you heard at the last one, a wandering mind is ‘wanderful’!

I just wander away and enjoy the day!

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[Misswho23]

I liked what the facilitator of my support group said. What goes in in our ADD is much more interesting than what the boss is telling us to do. We all laughed because it is so true. I will have to read that article. Been out of forum loop lately.

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[allan wallace]

*sigh* I love the song ‘I was born under a wanderin’ star’ by Lee Marvin…yes, my mind wanders, and it wanders off during conversations every time….*yawn*…it’s like I know where the conversation is headed and what it will entail so for my own amusement I’ll bounce around my own constructed tangents while going through the motions of conversing. That’s not a bad thing though, surely? 😯

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[Scattybird]

Interesting article. Personally speaking my mind wandering is frustrating because it takes me twice as long to do everything than it should. So more focus and effectiveness would increase my happiness – or at least minimise frustration and fatigue. So if my mind didn’t wander then I’d be happier.

But I like my wandering mind – sometimes – it’s escapism. Also when I’m teaching, wandering off topic keeps the kids entertained – I wander where my mind does, as long as I refocus and get them and me back on topic again then it makes for a more interesting class. In fact I medicate with Red Bull when I have a class rather than Ritalin because Ritalin makes me less bouncy and just too focused on the task. Actually it makes me pretty boring – not a good attribute for teaching.

But how does one define happiness? I know when I’m unhappy – but most of the time I’d say I’m content rather than happy. So what IS happiness?

When I am with people I can appear happy but I sometimes feel like it’s an act – like a comedian who on stage is hilarious, but off stage is really a closet depressive.

The article says that mind wandering leads to being unhappy rather than the other way around. If I am unhappy then my mind wanders more…a bit chicken and egg really.

Sorry – bit of a ramble….

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[allan wallace]

Good stuff scatty! It is an act, no? We can be chameleon like, and that deep sadness is always present irrespective of whatever ‘face’ we’re wearing, eh? Happiness, or the definition and pursuit of it has been a lifetime quest for me…

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[Anonymous]

Wandering mind……too tall ….too short……too white…….too black …..too old, too young…too skinny….toofat????

Some things may just be what they are…..while others may develop or change accordingly depending on attention to and diligence with……..it also may be that contentment precedes happiness….and both/either are difficult when comparison is present????

Or not…..????

Toofat

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[allan wallace]

Toofat, thou art an Oracle!

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[Anonymous]

Hahaha…….right Allan!! I believe that my brain/thoughts considers rather than wanders…..although….I find it does, from time to time if left unattended….. meander, particularly If my thoughts are not engaged or directed toward a particular path………….focused?

I tend not to harshly judge the ever seeking portion of my brain or my “meandering” trait…….it actually provides much more than it detracts from me. There many things that happen as a result of this seemingly disconnectedness or meandering…… one is understanding connectedness or patterns that many other people with different traits struggle to see……it also can provide answers or solutions to issues that standard linear thinking traits will typically not see. It (for me) is often the door to creativity……and that enjoy I immensely.

An off shoot of meandering has the potential to result in great humour too…..and I am often amused at the thoughts that my meandering will/can string together, and if/when those thoughts are verbalized…..it can be great fun!!!! Laughter is a wonderful thing to bestow on one’s self and others……..it is part of the richness of life…..no?

I simple word or phrase in a seemly mundane conversation can kick off a divergent thinking path (for me) that left run to fruition bears such things as new ideas, humour, or solutions. Sometimes this trait makes me laugh out loud (even alone)…..often it makes others laugh as well, it can put a lot of fun into conversation……the absurdity of the connectivity of seemingly random or divergent thoughts.

Scatty, I had a Prof or two and the odd Teacher or two….that could/would as a rule take subject matter and drive it all over that map….deriving connection to social and or political matter related to all aspects of life…….those Teachers/Profs were fantastic people, the ones I learned from, they engaged me, allowed me to think openly, borderlessly…!!!I Scatty……I remember them to this day, I can see them!!! My life was enriched by these people in so many ways…..and still is today!!!!

This is what things such as great comedy and learning are made of…….which I also believe to be a closely linked neighbor of brilliance.

Or sumpthin’ like that…….

Toofat

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[Misswho23]

Toofat,

I like considers and meandering over wandering. People just never were interested on what I was considering and why. Then say “gosh you are so creative” when one of my considerations turns into a great idea. Duh. That’s where great ideas come from.

I will tell people I’m considering the next time I’m accused of mind wandering and stop making excuses for myself!

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[Misswho23]

I’m so glad Allan wallace explained how to get the smiley faces to work to me.

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[allan wallace]

Ah, that made me feel all fuzzy and warm on the inside! It beggars belief that I was able to offer anybody a tip re technology! 😆

Toofat, I’ll say it again, thou art an oracle!

Yep, the wandering mind is like a trip without acid sometimes, eh? At times it’s a hoot, but at other times can induce migraines…

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[Robbo]

allan

I would like to know how to make all the different kinds of smiley faces too please. I like your cute lil owl in the hand too MIsswho. You’re nice.

That stuff about the sad clown made me really stop and think Scatty. I think I was in denial about the ritalin messing with my funny side a lil more than I wanted it to. There’s something to that “clowning around to entertain folks but feeling sad later” behavior. It reminds me of Tony Soprano talked to his therapist about when he was getting therapy and pretending he was “the prince of tides”. And me too. Feeling sad for no reason really sux. I’m glad it’s not bad like when I was depressed. It doesn’t happen all that often. But I should give it some attention. Just part of taking good care of ourselves, huh?

I think it’s something about loneliness. With me I think. I don’t know what its like for you. I think part of the missing puzzle pieces on this particular thing might be found when I meditate. Also, I just need to accept that life can’t always be a super action adventure comedy slapstick variety show every single minute. But I want life to be like that. I don’t even think that’s unreasonable. I guess I’m talking about what the Rolling Stones were singing about when they said “I can’t get no satisfaction”. It’s the low dopamine leaving us less satisfied probly. Most of humanity feels satisfied with a certain amount of fun. But maybe we just keep wanting more n more.

That’s why I sometimes talk about having the “disease called more”. cuz I can’t get no…

No

No

No

Hey

Hey

Hey

That’s what I say…

Chorus

repeat

Devo did an excellent cover of that song. It’s great stuff. I found it but I’ve got some kind of virus or bug, or maybe my computer has finally been turned into a dang zombie (zombie networks) (that’s a hacker thing that slows your computers download speed to an unbearably horribly painful climb the walls with insanity kind of waiting for a song you want to hear to just load after a dang 30 second commercial feels like it took fifty thousand million hours. Grrrrr.) (it’s horrible) (especially if you like to listen to music endlessly on youtube.) here’s the link anywayz, hope it works for you guys. About 77% of the video’s on youtube don’t load at all on my computer the last 5 or 6 days. It’s melting my brain and making my heart scream bloody murder. I could maybe even cry…

OH COOL IT FINALY WORKED! ***grin*** check it out ukay?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jadvt7CbH1o&feature=fvwrel

“Baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby” (I like this part of the song, it’s fun)

I think I’ll need to work more on this. I did a bunch of writing today about it in my journal. I’ve got to find something positive about it. I’m stuck with this wandering mind and the sometimes feeling sad stuff too.

You’ve got lucky students Scattybird. Sorry you feel sad sometimes though. You sure are not alone gal. I bet you already have compassion for your self. But maybe just try to have a lil bit more. N just care the same way you would care about one of your students. Only it’s about your self. And not self pity. Self compassion. I sometimes rub n massage the back of my neck to comfort myself. Try that, seriously. Exactly the same way you would comfort a sad friend. I’m glad I thought of this, now I’ll remember to do that to myself. It really helps. ****rub rub*** **massage rub rub*** Now I feel better!. Having some compassion for ourself is a cool spiritual thing.

You guys say funny stuff that makes me smile. like <<“it depends on whether your wanderings are all sunshine and lolipops, or dark and twisty “>> and <<“a wandering mind is ‘wanderful’! “>>

Yes indeed, it’s good to have “Oracle” type folks hanging around here.

Thanks gang.

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[Author]

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