At War with Your Monkey Mind or Gremlin?

Help! I’m going bananas!! No matter what you call it, the monkey mind or the gremlin on your shoulder, it can set you up for not being able to achieve the goals you desire to improve your health.

What is the monkey mind or gremlin? The monkey mind wants you to go to the next thing, like a monkey swinging tree to tree to find the next banana. It keeps you from focusing on the present and your mind wanders from one issue to the next, often making us succumb to fears about things that might happen. The inner gremlin is a habit, such as mindless eating, over-consumption of alcohol, etc., that stops you from taking action on a goal to improve wellness. This habit or feeling seems to take on a life of its own and you feel controlled by it.

How can you make peace and tame your monkey mind and gremlin? You can’t fight it, but there is hope that you can find ways to tame it. Simply noticing, is a first strategy. Observe what is happening in the moment. Work with it and not against. Be aware and consciously talk to your gremlin. Know that your self-concept is faulty and self-limiting, and you are more than that.

As your coach, I will work with you to identify and leverage your top character strengths to support you to develop your goals and actions that will provide the best chances of success. We can work together to help you identify and tame your gremlin and manage your monkey mind.

Here are some possible strategies that we may tap into to slow down your brain, improve your ability to calm your mind, and promote your ability to focus:

Body:

Improving your nutrition

Promoting good sleep habits

Movement/Exercise

Mind:

Breathing Techniques

Meditation

Mindfulness Practices

Spirit:

Practicing Self-compassion

Building joyfulness

Finding 3 good things each day that happened to you

Community/Relationships:

  Working on being in the moment and present with others

  Connecting with others who can bring you joy