37. Pray More Often

One of the things that tends to weigh me down is "mental clutter".  I know everyone out there can relate:  when everything in your head is swirling around and you can't concentrate on anything because it's just. too. much.

My hubby can recognize the certain look/stare I get on my face and lovingly asks, "Thinking about life again?"  I always respond with a sigh, "Yes, just thinking about life."

From The Eternal Intern

No matter how you feel about religion, praying is one way to help sort out that mental clutter.  Since I'm often ruminating about worries I don't know the answer to, or dreaming about things I'm unsure about, I just need to get it all out there.  To me, praying is a way of getting some of the mental clutter sorted out.  Like taking a junk drawer and dumping it on a table, just so you can see what is actually in there.  This process also helps me to remember that not everything has to be answered right away.

One mindset shift that helped me to pray more often was to realize it doesn't have to be formal.  It's not always in church with a bowed head, although there's plenty of inner peace that comes from that.  It doesn't have to be at bedtime, right before I lay me down to sleep.  No clasped hands required.  To incorporate it more into my life, I find that random journaling, mini acknowledgements, and even a word document have helped.

From Darling Magazine

I always have a little notebook with me- sometimes to do work for school, sometimes to write down daydreams or just random things, and sometimes when I need to turn my worries to God.  I won't buy a purse unless it can fit one of my small journals.  I have a lot of rough days and situations at my job, where the mental clutter can be so overwhelming and confusing it makes many people break.  So if I have a spare minute, I just grab my little journal and start writing, writing, writing right there at school.  I write down my worries, my hopes, and always give thanks because even when things are bleak I know I am so lucky.

About six old journals stacked up top

I keep an ongoing word document on my computer.  I work a lot at home and when I hit that unproductive point because I'm overly mentally cluttered, I open it up and start writing again.  I keep these dated and I love going back and reading through past prayers.  Electronic may be unconventional but it works for me. 

Finally, I have been working on making mini acknowledgments as often as possible.  I was inspired to do this when I heard an NPR piece about Kurt Vonnegut's quote (posted below).  It instantly resonated with me.  When I get the perfect parking spot after an exhausting day, when a shower feels exceptionally refreshing, when I catch a breathtaking view of the New York skyline, I try to quickly reflect and give thanks.

From Lollipops and Roses

I have a long way to go in terms of conquering my mental clutter, but I hope to keep this up and stay headed in the right direction.