Train of Thought
Over the past few months I’ve been taking a lot of trains because I don’t have a car of my own. A lot of people see this as a disadvantage, but I don’t. I don’t have to worry about insurance, tax or MOT and soon enough I believe self driving cars will become a thing, in fact I’m guaranteeing before I hit pensionable age, it will become as normal as ordering an Uber. I digress though…I spend a lot of time on buses, trams and if I book ahead enough trains. I even managed to finish up some beatmaking for a gig in Leeds on a train, I’m that used to it.
…I think of the British Rail system like my former self. Deep in anxiety and I would overthink everything.
It comes to mind as recently Northern Rail were stripped of their contract and is going to be nationalised due to poor service. Locally in the West Midlands Virgin Trains have had their contract stripped and handed over to another firm, Avanti. As someone who has dealt with overcrowded trains, unpleasant travel and constant delays I think of the British Rail system like my former self. Deep in anxiety and I would overthink everything.
I would overthink cooking, I would overthink paying bills, overthink how I dressed instead of trying to find a system that would work efficiently with the least amount of issues. I was old enough to vaguely remember British Rail, but despite its criticisms it worked more or less. To actually stop overthinking however, you need to start looking at the reasons why you’re overthinking? Here’s a clue: its not in the act, it in the feeling of the act.
Overthinking in my case was a chronic response to anxiety. My world would essentially become frozen by the sheer input of so many thoughts. It wasn’t until I learnt to meditate and unchain myself from them I could understand what it was. I soon passed that onto my own clients as part of my practice. It really was my own ‘train of thought’ either getting delay or worse derailing.
The good thing is unlike our current rail infrastructure, you have a better chance of getting things right quicker. That’s the power of the human brain.
Until next time, #embraceinfinity folks.
