A reflection by Christina Brennan Lee for September 2, 2024.
For many years as a Consultant/Trainer, I worked with a variety of general personality assessment instruments with organizations and in small groups, in secular and religious settings. They’re fun to do, to discuss our similarities, differences, and misconceptions of ourselves and others.
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator [MBTI] with its identification of 16 personality types, while one of many instruments, is one of the few that required hours of in-person training and testing for certification to administer. There are many others that yield different results. However, there are also decent published materials to give one some personal insights.
As an administrator, one of the MBTI tools I used was a funny “prayer” list someone wrote to capture the essence of the range in personality “types.” Mine is something like:
Dear Lord,
Help me focus on one thi-
LOOK A BIRD
-ng at a time!
My younger daughter was a teenager when she went through all 16 of them and, without knowing anything about MBTI or personality “types”, she picked that one out and said, “Hey Mom, it’s you!” We all laughed because it’s too true.
My older daughter has long since dubbed my instant distraction action as my “something shiny syndrome,” as when something shiny or its equivalent grabs my attention quicker than I can stop it.
As I get older I realize that my ability to multi-task has diminished. I used to be able to have the TV on while reading email, talking on the phone, three other things and still keep up with everything ~ well, mostly. Now I have to concentrate on one thing at a time and pause the TV or lose the plot!
There are, of course, known attention-deficit issues that, for some, may require medication and other interventions. Yet now in everyday living many of our minds are overloaded with a constant barrage of extra loud flashing TV and its noisy repetitive ads, texting, email, Facebook, animal reels, on-line shopping, “breaking news,” and on and on.
As a culture, we are addicted to noise and constant external stimulation.
We don’t take enough time to find quiet, breathe intentionally, relax, see the world around us, or hear the true voices of those we love. We know how to be busy; we don’t always know how to be quietly alone with ourselves.
Today is a good day to take five minutes to “unplug,” even if it’s a busy day. If the only way you can do that is to lock yourself in the bathroom, go for it. Take no distractions with you like phones, music, reading material, search-a-word, crosswords, etc.
Set a timer and concentrate on breathing in deeply through your nose using your diaphragm*, that muscle below your lungs. Hold for a count of 3-5, breathe slowly out through your mouth to 3-5 counts, repeat 3 times. If while doing this you find yourself thinking about what you’ll do next or tomorrow, it’s okay but redirect to think about your breathing.
Do start today even if it is the last five minutes before you go to bed. It’s a beginning to re-discover the essence of who you are and when you find yourself content with yourself, you’ll find a great treasure. Work up to 6, 8, then a count of 10 ~ in and then out with the same count. Then to 8 minutes, 9, 10. It takes practice to be conscious in the moment, but it isn’t difficult.
Five minutes, TODAY, and again tomorrow … eventually you can work up to 20 minutes ~ really! ~ and when you do you will be amazed what time with you can do for you. And yes, when I’m breathing this way I can still be distracted by outside noises such as noisy cars, dogs barking, or weed-whackers but I pull my head back into my deep breathing.
For me, though, the most essential part of regular deep breathing is in meditation**, and also as a form of prayer. For meditation, I plan a longer time, 20-30 minutes. For example, on the inhale I’ll think something like Dear Jesus, Son of God… and on the exhale I am with You. Or, whatever short phrasing comes to your mind. There are many ways to meditate and they’re all rooted in deep intentional breathing.
OH, I just got a text, an email, and the phone is ringing… ~ wait, no to shiny distractions! I’m going to sit here for 5 minutes and b r e a t h e … NOW.
*Here’s how to breathe from your diaphragm.
**Here’s a short meditation way to meditate for beginners.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Every week, Christina Brennan Lee writes the Prayers of the People we use in our worship services on Sundays. She also leads weekday prayer services and serves on the SsAM Vestry. Click here to see her People’s Prayers website.
