Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thoughts that are forever blowing through one’s mind.
Mark Twain
MEANING OF THIS QUOTE
Man is the only animal capable of profound thinking. Yet, there are times when this ability becomes a handicap. It is almost astonishing how the same mind that can transform the world into a more beautiful place can also wreak havoc within a person.
All of us have to fight a daily battle with our thoughts, feelings, and desires. This incessant stream of thoughts not only dictates our thought process, but also how we interact with ourselves and the people around us.
ISN’T IT NORMAL FOR THE MIND TO BE ACTIVE ALL THE TIME?
That depends on how you define normal. If you find it normal for your mind to drive itself (and, consequently, you) crazy with nonstop thinking, then so it shall be. On the other hand, if you are someone who acknowledges the need to “switch off” once in a while or, better still, a few minutes every day, then you are likelier to be safe from overthinking and its side effects. After all, a brain that is constantly occupied with thought is far more vulnerable to over-analyzing things than a mind that doesn’t tire itself into painting a larger-than-life picture of everyday events.
CONCLUSION
Long story short, give yourself a break. The human mind has an uncanny knack for overplaying things, leading us into seeing more to them than there actually is. Most of us are, in fact, guilty of taking the bait. However, it is important to keep reminding ourselves that we are in charge of our thoughts, not the other way round.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author. Celebrated as the father of American literature, Twain wrote: “Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thoughts that are forever blowing through one’s mind.”