I love meditation and mindfulness and both have made such a positive impact on my life that I wish everyone could give them a go. They are so liberating. However, I also realise that it’s hard to get into meditation and it’s only one of the many tools we have at our disposal for overcoming mental chatter. 

Years ago I remember a good friend of mine basically admitting that he drank just to get some peace from his constantly chattering mind. It then struck me how much all of us have to deal with that never-ending dialogue of pointless nothingness. Then again, the brain is a very clever tool and it’s only trying to do its job. It’s very simple really – it must consider all possible scenarios in order to protect you from every single danger that’s out there. Unfortunately the world has changed a little bit since prehistoric times though and our brains haven’t evolved nearly as fast as all our digital devices. We’re therefore overwhelmed, to put it simply. The world is a chaotic maelstrom that we are just not designed for. 

I’ll concede though that at the time of my friend’s confession, I felt huge relief. It’s not just me then who has to cope with the endless chatter. There is some comfort in knowing that we all have the same affliction. Clearly that’s a little selfish but then again, surely we can find a way to support each other? 

So how can you calm you so overcoming mental chatter? 

1- Healthy distraction from self

Obviously my friend had chosen the unhealthy approach by drinking his mind into a stupor. On the other hand, most of us know about going for a run or a swim to help us ‘clear the mind’. What about being creative? Those adult colouring books are becoming popular for a reason. It’s a breath of fresh air to spend time being creative.

You can also have a go at volunteering. There’s no better way to distract the mind from its job trying to protect us than by helping others. Altruism is also listed high up when considering things that contribute to our happiness and overall well being. 

2- Cognitive Distancing 

You might have heard about a technique that involves reframing your thoughts into more positive ones for overcoming mental chatter. I like the distancing approach which involves coming up with new stories. Our brains fall in love with its stories and we can throw it off track by offering different ones. Moreover, have you noticed that when you force yourself to do something then you literally start doing the opposite? It’s the same with thoughts. Try paying attention to them or even writing them down and see what happens. Very often you get a sudden silence. It’s almost eery.

3- Automatic Thought Recording 

This tool is often used in CBT, or cognitive behavioural therapy, and whilst I can sometimes find CBT overly tough and a bit like banging your head against a brick wall, I still like this exercise for overcoming mental chatter.

Essentially you’re recording your automatic thoughts that come up in your brain so as to be able to challenge them. The idea is that you note down a thought that arose because of a particular event or situation and how that made you feel. You then consider whether you’re jumping to conclusions, seeing things in black or white, overgeneralising or perhaps simply being overly negative or judging. You then write down an alternative thought that could also be happening and see how that makes you feel. It’s a great exercise because it’s also a good introduction to writing if you have never done that before. Journaling is one of the most powerful tools for managing our mindless chatter. 

Is there hope for an end to the chatter? I’m not sure there is. You can’t stop the brain from doing its job but you can stop attaching yourself to the stories and getting lost in them. With practice and patience, you can create distance with your thoughts . They then become fleeting white clouds rather than a herd of buffalos that just won’t move. You won’t feel so overwhelmed and stifled and you’ll finally find a little peace in your mind.