Busy day at the show today. Many people attended my talk and again books flying off the shelves
A show to put in your diary for next year folks
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Interesting conversation with my good friend Ian Timothy.
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What This Book Will Do
This book is not another “positive thinking” or “mindfulness” book, although I will touch on those subjects. As I have said, I am not a scientist, but following my journey and experiences, I want to make you aware that this is a direct confrontation with the power of thought itself.
I intend to dismantle the accepted prison of thinking, exposing the way that excessive mental activity is destroying your life.
WARNING: This book will challenge you. You will be asked to question assumptions you have held all your life. It will suggest that some of your most cherished mental habits are destroying you. People I once held as friends have abandoned me because I made them uncomfortable in facing up to their thoughts and behaviours. It will require you to look honestly at the ways you are complicit in your own demise. This won’t always be comfortable.
As I said, people I once knew have gone.
Your mind – the very thing we are examining – will resist. In fact, you are now probably putting the book down, burning it or “thinking” what the fuck does this guy know about my life.
Well. Put simply, your mind, not you, will resist. It will generate objections, doubts and rationalisations. It will tell you this book is wrong, that it simply doesn’t apply to you, or that you should stop reading and do something more productive instead.
That is absolutely fine. Expected, even; I was once like you, but catch yourself NOW reading this and agreeing with me. You are reading the words, letting them sink in, but at the same time, the subconscious (Chimp/Ego) is screaming BOLLOCKS because it is damn hard to accept you are at fault. But you are. Sorry, not sorry.
You are in the act of doing what your overthinking mind is doing… what it does best: it is thinking about thinking.
So… let’s explore why thinking is killing you – and what you can do about it.
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Quick chat with Ian about my upcoming book.
Transcript of conversation without edit.
Ian: 0:05
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So, here I am with my friend Mr Gary Whitt, and we’ll be talking about his website today because he’s, um, well, in fairness, it’s getting really super duper. Uh, Mr Gary Whitt, how are you today? Hello, Ian. Thank you, thanks for having me. How are you? Well, I’m good, apart of my hip and you know all about it, so it’s casual conversation that we like to have now and again. Um, tell me a little bit about your adventure in America.
Gary: 0:43
Well, which version do you want? Um, 2018 did the road trip, as you know, a lot of listeners, viewers will already know, went again last year. Um, it was the foundation for my alter ego now, the Urban Monk, so that set me on the road to being in your wonderful, uh, company.
Ian: 1:07
Gary, are you getting starting to get nice reviews coming through from your book? How about you, please about that one?
Gary: 1:12
I am, it’s, uh, it’s nice to know it’s been sold well, and, uh, I look at my bank account and every now and again, some thin drops in from Amazon Bless ’em, people that come to the talks have put reviews on about the quality of the book and now my website is starting to get some traction. There’s a brief chapter of my new book coming out, which is why I think it is killing you and it’s getting out there.
Ian: 1:38
Let’s get back to your first book. You’ve had to do a reprimand, that’s something absolutely amazing.
Gary: 1:43
Yeah, it sounds more amazing than it is. But yeah, run out. Somebody told me the other day that they don’t get hard copies because they sit, gather in dust and, uh, I followed your advice. I took it to all my talks and told people they weren’t allowed to leave the room until they bought a book and it worked well.
Ian: 2:01
Can you give us an idea about your new book?
Gary: 2:04
Yeah, it’s moving on. The original book was the, um, how I became the Urban Monk and my childhood and what led to living in the moment of being present. The next book is about the thoughts you have from the chimp or from wherever the thought you have which create an unequal vibration in the body, create an illness. And it goes further than that. It talks about manifesting in the law of attraction, um, and lack and abundance. That kind of thing, but it’s basically about the thoughts we have, the negativity we have, drive a lifestyle of negativity and depression.
Ian: 2:41
On that subject, Gary, what is your opinion about people who, you know, that they’re in say they’re in a situation where they have to make a major change to their life? And that change could be financial, it could be emotional, it could even be one of illness and they just won’t change. Why won’t people do things which are categorically for their own benefit?
Gary: 3:09
It’s an interesting question and I know people that are very, very much like that.
I think it’s, you know, you talk about spirituality and the path to enlightenment. People have got to be ready or have experienced that much shit, can I say shit, in their life, for them to be almost forced into a change. They’ll then decide it was their decision, but I was forced into a change because of circumstances. And I thought it was me making that decision, but it wasn’t. So, in the Bible, I think it says ‘never cast pearl before swine’ which I take to mean ‘don’t throw your expensive jewelry in front of a pig’ because it’ll just think it’s barley and eat it. So you’re wasting valuable resources and very expensive items to try and convince and whether it’s not ready to be convinced. They’re not at that point in the spiritual development yet, and that’s what I genuinely think.
Ian: 4:11
Yeah, I think you’re absolutely right. I think very often that when somebody’s locked into a way of life, they become so entrenched believing that their methods and their modus operandi is correct. They’re almost like somebody who’s a heavy gambler, they’re hoping for that big win and they still use the same process and it never goes, but it’s hope, hope, hope all the time and nothing succeeds. Until sometimes, unfortunately, it’s just too late.
Gary: 4:43
Too late, agree?
100% you’ve got to be ready to want to change, but also there’s that element of narcissism in there that I’m always right. I’ll listen to what you’ve got to say, I’ll agree with what you’re saying, but ultimately I won’t change my mind because it’s based on what you’ve advised me to do. I would rather make that decision, or have that decision made for me as you’ve just pointed out when it’s too late.
Ian: 5:08
All of this I’m assuming is covered in your new book.
Gary: 5:13
Apart from the
oh yeah, court that bit out, yes it is.
Ian: 5:19
There you are, you see. Oh, there we have it. Now you say, “I’m not going to cut that out because that actually is a positive change of mind, because it seems to me that what’s going to happen is our Gary’s going to come along and slap that chapter in.”
Gary: 5:34
Yes, absolutely, that’s my middle chapter that’s the kicker for the book.
Ian: 5:40
Great. So, all in all, Gary, always your full support, your relentless with your support of our work. I know that you are going to do exceptionally well with your new book, which is called “Why Thinking Is Killing You.” And I’m looking forward to reading it and just remind everybody about your very, very well-selling, good-selling book, the death of an arse assist and the best George footings in the world. Excellent, thank you. And how are the chickens getting on?
Gary: 6:12
Very well, actually. Yep, they’re fully laying now and very healthy, building them a new extended run in the upcoming weekends when I’m not busy with you guys talking and doing these shows.
Ian: 6:24
Excellent, Gary, thank you so much.
Gary: 6:27
Thank you, Ian.
[Music]
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You’ve been lied to.
Not maliciously, no doubt, and not with intent and most often not to harm, but lied to anyway.
The lie is this: that what you think is always good. That more thinking leads to better decisions. That the contemplated life, the endlessly analysed life, is the road to success and happiness.
It is KILLING YOU.
If you are reading this, there is already a good chance you are looking at why or how thinking is an issue.
You have probably read so many self-help books, and nothing has changed. Why would this book be any different? The honest answer is I don’t know. Still, while you were running through the thoughts of this book being pointless and whether you would benefit anyway (it is a good book), your thinking took you away from this present moment, each thought creating a tiny spike of stress, each thought demanding your attention and some sort of resolution or action.
This is what I mean when I say thinking is killing you.
Let me be clear, I am not talking about the kind of thinking that solves problems or creates things, like fixing a dripping tap or designing and building bridges. I’m talking about the other kind-the kind that takes over your waking hours. That endless mental chatter. The what-could-go-wrong catastrophising, the replaying of past conversations, the rehearsal of future ones, the constant, tiring, never-ending commentary on every fucking thing. The ANALYSIS OF PARALYSIS.
This kind of overthinking is a modern epidemic running out of control. It’s the background of modern life, so constant and pervasive that you don’t even notice it anymore, do you? It is like living right by the Motorway; eventually, you stop hearing the noise. I recently moved from such a place, and I actually miss the soothing, river-like sound now. But for the majority, that noise would be grating, still wearing them down, still taking its toll.
Overthinking isn’t just annoying. It’s not just a bad habit or a shit personality; it is actually scientifically proven that it is destructive, costing you your health, your relationships, your productivity inside and outside of what work you may have, your peace of mind, and most definitely years of your life.
The research is absolute. Chronic overthinking, particularly by focusing on the symptoms of one’s mental distress, ruminating, is strongly associated with anxiety, depression, insomnia, weakened immune system and cardiovascular disease.
When you are stuck in your head, your body pays the price. For every negative thought, body vibrations change, stress hormones elevate (fight, flight, or freeze), and your nervous system stays in a state of activation, as your body and brain believe the sabre-tooth tiger is about to pounce. Digestion and sleep suffer, and inflammation markers rise.
For those who have read my previous book, you will remember that I am not a scientist, but I have done some research.
But the damage goes way beyond what is happening to the body. Overthinking destroys your ability to take action. According to psychologists, what is created is analysis paralysis. The state where you spend so much time thinking about what to do, or not, that nothing actually ever gets done. You consider every possible outcome, good or bad, until the opportunity passes you by.
While your head is like a dishwasher on a full cycle, life is happening. Right NOW. In this moment. But you are not in the game, away somewhere in your head. Lost in a maze of thoughts about what just happened (or what happened years ago), which you cannot change, or the future, which doesn’t exist yet. You miss or ignore the only thing that is real: this present moment.
The Thinking Addiction
What you don’t realise, reader, is that overthinking is an addiction.
Yes, an actual addiction. Compulsive behaviour- the inability to stop even when you want to. Built-in tolerance-you look for more stimulation to feel satisfied, the I’ll have it when syndrome. I’ll write a book WHEN, I’ll be happy WHEN. Then there’s the withdrawal, when you try actually to quiet your mind, you feel discomfort, anxiety and even panic. And then there is denial, insisting that you’re just being thorough, careful, or responsible.
However, we get stuck, like any addict, into believing that the illusion of control is a cost worth paying. If you can think about something enough, analyse it thoroughly enough, consider every eventuality carefully enough, then surely you can prevent bad things from happening. You believe you will be in a position to make the perfect decision, and you can avoid pain, failure, and regret.
But you can’t. The control is an illusion, a fake, an imaginary construct. All we are doing is swapping the uncertainty of life for the certainty of unhappiness and suffering.
Overthinking is suffering; it is self-inflicted mental torture, and you’re doing it to yourself hundreds of times a day.
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Interesting day today at the Lizian Events Well Being show.
Today was really busy with exhibitors and visitors. There was a lively vibe and in the midst of it Mr Ian Timothy took me to one side to discuss Yorkshire puddings. Of all things Yorkshire puddings.
Watch the video below and check the subliminal insights we share
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September and October were interesting months.
I spent the most critical parts of September and October road-tripping around California.
The creation of The Urban Monk began on the roads of California 2018. The road trip I took that year led me to a realisation that presence is key, key to surviving the mind and the thoughts it creates.
The intention of the trip was to revisit places old and new in the search for NOWism.
Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Death Valley (hot), Carson City, Virginia City, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Monterey, Pismo Beach, Lompoc, Solvang and Beverley Hills, to name the largest towns, all where their own manic hustle and bustle still oozed serenity and NOWness.
Peggy Sue’s Diner en route to Las Vegas
Marilyn Palm Springs
Palm Springs
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A fascinating weekend at the event.
Thanks go to Ian and Liz for setting up the venture and to Ian and Peter Wall for guiding me through the minefield of WordPress. Books continue to sell well and talks well attended. These events serve only to raise the level of consciousness.
A rising tide raises all ships.
Till next time…
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I attended a Well-Being event in Newcastle on June 21/22. During the show, Ian Timothy, the show organiser, placed me on the spot and suggested we have a spontaneous question-and-answer interview. Below is the recording.
Me 
Ian
