Holistic Prescriptions for the Overactive Mind
an antidote to redlining.
Last week’s Presidential Debate circus sideshow was certainly a sight to behold, if only for all the wrong reasons. There’s opinions aplenty anywhere you look on social media or in the MSM, lots of which obviously focus on mental acuity.
Look, we all know what went on and what the deal is- Joe Biden simply does not seem mentally fit for one of the hardest jobs in the world, and there is now bipartisan agreement on that topic.
Did it seem intentional?
Did it seem like a staged set up?
Honestly, yes- but I’ve no interest in donning the tin foil hat today (if you’ve been reading here for awhile, I hope you noticed we’ve strayed from that type content quite a bit).
However, mental acuity is certainly a subject I’d like us to delve into together.
Our modern world is filled to the brim with dopamine-draining, constantly stimulating platforms and mediums. Short-form content has fried our attention spans en masse, with no signs of turn around.
and I touched upon this in a recent episode of , tying in our life experiences and business ventures in with the complex task of managing our brains and mental health in the process.
The main facet of mental acuity and focus we’re tapping into today is the taming of the overactive mind. See, if you’re reading this, you’re likely more cerebral in nature, which is great. This also comes at a price. Those who are driven by a thirst for knowledge are also skewed towards the more ambitious side of the spectrum. These types are often plagued by the never-ending onslaught of brainstorming, ideas, projecting, and ruminating that comes with a powerful yet overactive mind. Throw in the aforementioned easily accessible digital dopamine factories, and you have a recipe for one overstimulated, overactive psyche.
This is something I experience heavily on a personal level, and through my conversations with friends with positions all across the professional spectrum- Big Law, finance, trade work, personal training, etc- I realize that this is not a unique personal issue, but instead one that is running riot across the population of modern day young professionals. Thus, the inspiration for this article was born.
The affectionate term I use for my own overactive mind is “RPM’s”, and I find myself often lamenting that “the RPM’s are running high today and I can’t come down”.
It’s an understandable phenomenon- you wake up, you get assaulted by innumerable notifications across various different apps, the phone starts ringing, the meetings pile up. After a full day of constant communication and moving n’ shaking, it’s only natural to be in such a heightened state.
However, in a modern world where the avenues to comms are always open and the days fly into the next, it can seem to be almost an exercise in futility to try to relax at the end of the day. This isn’t good, as it can lead to massive burnout or unhealthy events (more on that later), something we’re trying to avoid. I’ve had days where the RPM’s are akin to Charles LeClerc burning down the straight at Baku City, or it feels as if Rafa Nadal forehands have been blasting off inside my brain.
Not a feeling you want to be battling on the long term.
Before I get into this, it should be noted that this is something that I still kind of, well, suck at…though through these steps, it has gotten better.
It’s as they say in gym culture: don’t ask the guy with gifted genetics how to build 18” arms, ask the guy who had pipe cleaners for arms that grinded his way to respectability. The lessons are in the attrition and application of trial and error.
Bob Ross and Toradol Shots
A personal anecdote for some levity as well as inspiration: I first realized that I had a serious issue with an overactive mind when it seemed as if Bob Ross painting a still life of a forest was going to be the last thing I ever saw on this planet.
It was summer of 2023, and I was working on a large-scale real estate deal. The type where it’s all hands on deck, constantly showing the building, the New York Real Estate Journal is calling your cell phone for quotes for an article…that type thing.
We finally were able to get a massive deal agreed upon and into contract, and I was riding high.
Like an idiot, I hadn’t taken the time to relax and process what I had been through throughout the course of this transaction, and I was just running from showing to meeting to the gym and back on a nonstop basis, without taking time to tend to my body or mind in a way that either of those entities desperately needed.
You already know where this story goes- I go waltzing into the gym on a high for a leg day, breeze through a warmup I badly needed, and boom- tweak my already very screwed up spine. This was a serious tweak, too. I’m talking bear crawling to the bathroom kind of scenario. Not great.
I got sent to a clinic for a workup, where they administered a Toradol painkiller shot (affectionately referred to as “Vitamin T” in the NHL and NFL) and let’s just say now I know I’m allergic to it. There was a little malpractice at play, to be fair to myself. I was administered the shot standing up instead of seated, and into my delt instead of the glute (intramuscularly, not like a suppository, relax) like it was supposed to be. Anyhow, all I remember before drifting away and waking up to a room full of people, ice packs on my face and a heart monitor on was watching Bob Ross on the small table-side TV in the patient room.
Once I woke up from the very unpleasant experience (and vomited one or two or five times), I knew I had to make a change in how I was living.
That’s the thing with the overactive mind- it’ll bring you professional and physical victories, which will trick you into thinking you’re taking care of yourself optimally, even when you’re clearly not.
Hopefully this anecdote and the ensuing frameworks we discuss can help you avoid a similar experience in your life- I’d be happy to take the fall once so you can learn from it and don’t have an episode of your own.
Moving on, we’re here and we’re alive, so let’s get into it.
Two Frameworks to Ease the Overactive Mind
1. An Expression of Physicality That Makes You Feel Best
The “just lift weights and eat F’n steak bro!!!” meme on Twitter has been done to death, and yet another article yammering on about adopting a lifting regimen is the last thing anyone needs. Also, the idea here is to tie in the mental and physical. If you want to build an impressive physique, I love that for you- but we’re working on the mental first here.
We’re happiest in our physical vessel when we express ourselves with our bodies and intertwine our physicality with our personalities. This for me is a gym program and tennis, and some combat sports whenever I can find people to train with. You might hate all three of those things, and that’s fine.
Again, this should be completely and utterly unique to you, just so long as you’re moving your physical body in some way.
I’ve heard outdoorsy types go on and on, extolling the psychological benefits of hikes and “summitting” mountains and while that’s far from my thing, if it’s yours, go do that.
Join a league of the sport you were best at in school.
Perhaps it’s walking 18 holes and not even keeping a scorecard, or waking up at 5AM to surf. Whatever physical expression ties in your mind and body and makes you feel like the purest version of yourself is something that I’ve found helps not only in my life, but in the life of those around me.
It’s especially interesting when you hear from people with interests that are way different than your own- yogi’s, dancers, skiers, etc- and listen to how these activities help shape a healthy mind and body.
The possibilities are endless, and when we use our bodies to perform what we love most, it creates an ethereal peace within the mind that we can use as positive mental momentum for the other avenues of our lives. Joe Rogan’s speech after receiving his black belt comes to mind here:
There is surely science behind this ( I don’t know it), but I have found that the psychological benefit of certain activities tend to skew to be gender specific. Men tend to gravitate towards expressions of their own physical strength (boxing, lifting), while women seem to gain more from getting in touch with their bodies through a class or scenic activity. (There’s also inversions of this, not stereotyping at all- I know girls that can murder a heavy bag and guys who are elite-level yoga practitioners). Still, there are patterns to be acknowledged if you’re looking for a physical outlet.
Lastly, (because of course we had to get a little wacky) I have found that certain activities tie into astrology and are more beneficial based upon their location/your birthdate, but YMMV. As an example, as a summer birthday, I find swimming in the ocean to have almost a tranquilizing effect on me, in the best way possible. Worth a shot to delve into that connection as well.
2. “What Would the Ideal Version of Yourself Do Today?”
No, not hanging on a beach in Monaco with a supermodel. Think in terms of reality here, (though I have faith all of you can get to Les Plages with a Bella Hadid lookalike at some point). Quite often, the source of an overactive brain can be the constant influx of ideas and daydreaming that occurs when we’re, well, bored with our day-to-day.
This is a far more difficult exercise than going golfing or doing hot yoga, because it’s proper execution necessitates serious introspection.
(Might be a good time to go Planespotting ?)
All too often we lie to ourselves about minor responsibilities, personal relationships, and our interests.
When we act in accordance with what’s in our heart, the torturous voices that stoke the fires of our already-redlined brains tend to quiet down. The inner respect gained from living true to ourselves keeps us present and confident, allowing our bodies’ defense mechanisms to simmer down and let us reach a state of calm. I keep a journal and, funnily enough, notice that I don’t have to fight off the demons on days that I sit down and write.
It’s a simple understanding, as an example: “what would ideal John have done today"? Probably sat down and written that article about the idea that popped into his head at 9:53 AM flying down the 135 Expressway. So go do that, bro. It isn’t rocket science, but the bulk of us tend to make it far more complex than it needs to be (I’m right in there with you).
That loud voice ringing in your head at night keeping you all revved up is certainly annoying- but it isn’t always wrong. So start the creative project, or call that loved one, or look into starting the process of some heavier life changes… you may just find that you’re able to see “a way out” and feel like the weight has been lifted off your back.
Deep down we all know what we need, (if I took that much-needed day off in Summer ‘23 to read and chill on the beach, there would’ve been no Toradol shot), but we let our brains put up obstacles in front of it and tell us pretty little lies until something bad happens. Lean into the self-care and live in your true nature (start with only a few hours if you haven’t been doing it!) and see where the road takes you.
FWIW, people seem to really love gardening. Have you ever seen a picture of someone gardening and they don’t have a big smile on their face? I think they’re onto something. Probably all Earth signs.
That’s all for today. We’re all works in progress, but it helps to share what works as we all forge on together to make our marks in this fast-paced, increasingly digital world.
Take a little time for you (and your mind).
Love always,
John
1 July 2024
You’ve got a knack for gonzo journalism friend. Check out some Hunter S Thompson books! I can loan mine to you