Mindfulness has been widely discussed, and if you've ever studied the mind or meditation, you're undoubtedly familiar with it. In the Western world, it's become the go-to buzzword in meditation because it’s simple, accessible, free of overt religious associations, and provides a pleasant way to balance your mind—often making you feel a bit more profound than you are. In some circles I’m not part of, it’s either the latest trend or has already become passé, and merely mentioning it might even seem laughable. Still, I couldn’t care less about that.
Luckily, I’ve never been one to follow trends or care about fashion; being part of a specific “scene” was never my style. As a result, when I come across these trends, they’re usually already well past their prime and no longer in vogue with anyone. That said, mindfulness appears to have a staying power for now.
I’m not here to rehash everything you might already know about mindfulness or preach to skeptics. To me, mindfulness has been a delightful revelation. For years, I have studied and practiced various forms of meditation—even before I truly understood what I was doing, I’d simply sit and gaze into space, letting my mind clear. This natural curiosity led me to explore many techniques, a couple of which I might detail in the next chapter—if and when I write it.
Mindfulness has provided me with balance, clarity, and calm even in chaotic situations. As someone who lives with insomnia, I hope that if you take away even one thing from this book, it’s these principles. They not only improve sleep but also help you manage insomnia when it strikes.
Now, let’s consider the internal narrative. Why is mindfulness—or the lack thereof—so significant?
From the moment we are born, we are immersed in sounds that eventually become words. These words form the basis of our understanding of the world; they are the labels we begin to assign to the people and objects around us. Our parents introduce these labels early on, choosing names by which we are known for life. For instance, I am known as Sam—even though I sometimes go by other names, that’s a discussion for another time.
We learn the labels for others too—mom, dad, big brother (who might jokingly threaten to flush my head down the toilet), and so on. We pick these up through repetition and accompanying gestures, and they help us begin to understand and shape our view of the world.
As we grow, we transition from a purely subconscious state to one where we actively interact with and interpret the world using names, words, and other constructs that allow us to form a personal perspective.
These early years—from childhood through early adulthood—are crucial in developing how we interpret the world and understand our place in it. During this time, we cultivate an internal dialogue that helps us decipher our surroundings. This inner conversation operates on multiple levels.
In essence, each of us has at least one inner voice that speaks to us throughout the day, helping us make sense of what we see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. Some might insist they don’t have an internal voice, perhaps worrying that admitting such might be a sign of madness. Rest assured, that isn’t the case—if you ever claim you don’t have one, that very statement is likely being processed by your internal voice.
This inner voice—or voices, as most of us have more than one—is believed to generate over 50,000 words a day. Much of this self-talk happens automatically, outside of our conscious awareness. I believe this constant dialogue is essential, allowing our subconscious to sift through the countless bits of information we encounter each second. It’s this process that powers our intuition, our so-called sixth sense, and our ability to read situations or people on a gut level. Our brain absorbs millions of bits of data, compares them with a lifetime’s worth of memories, weighs possible outcomes, and then delivers what seems to be the most likely conclusion—all without us even realizing it.
This internal dialogue can be a powerful tool—it fosters creative thinking, aids in problem-solving, and, as we’ll explore later, can even empower you to redefine your life and take control of your future.
If you, as an insomniac, believe you aren’t experiencing this internal narrative, think again next time you’re lying awake at night. In the still darkness, as you struggle to sleep because your mind just won’t switch off, you’ll notice that repeating voice replaying the day’s events, past grievances, or worries about what tomorrow might bring. That persistent monologue is your internal dialogue.
The problem arises when this chatter turns into negative self-talk. We’ll examine that issue further in the next article.
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