by Aaron
(United States)
Hello, I'm Aaron. I'm a guy who doesn't care anymore. I'm smart, in fact, I've been recognized as near brilliant by many people, but you know what? I wish I wasn't.
I know, I know. You're most likely thinking "Is this guy for real?", and I don't blame you.
Now, getting on with what I was saying. I don't want to be as smart as I am anymore. I realized that the society that I live in treats morons as if they were kings, and intelligent people of mud. I'm sick of it. I walk around on campus everyday watching people of normal brain capacity have outside worlds that are in much better shape than mine. I'm crazy, absolutely bonkers. I can't stop my brain from thinking ever. Everything moves so fast. In and out, in and out. There's no stopping the constant stream of information that bolts through my brain. I'd like to analyze some of the things that come up, but automatically there's something new.
Always something new.
Never a pause, never a slow-down. Sometimes I just want it all to end. I'm so smart that my grades are only average. How does that happen? Everything is so simple that I just want something challenging and don't do the current work or don't put effort into it.
I just want to live a simple life. I want to dumb down. How do I do this?
As a side note, I have no natural talents, besides soaking up information like a sponge. Why can't I be talented at SOMETHING? ANYTHING?! I'd give anything to be talented. Music, art, really anything!
Ben's Answer:
Intelligence or a high-powered intellect definitely doesn't give one happiness, but balanced with other capacities, can be a wonderful gift and a tool in life.
Fact is, many people with over-active minds are miserable. More than anything else, it is our thoughts that create our suffering. The mind can be like a wild animal. If you have a wild animal in your house, your house will be trashed in a matter of minutes. You have to tame the wild animal of your mind. You can't do that by will-power. You know how a horse is broken? Not by the force of your will. You can't overpower a horse. You have to learn to be in tune with it, to be firm, yet gentle. You have to use your intuition and you have to be patient.
Meditation is one of the best methods of taming the wild mind. A quiet mind is capable of anything. The mind that is always thinking is virtually crippled. Instead of creating more inner conflict by fighting with your mind, hating your thoughts, judging yourself, or trying to learn more "stuff," you have to use a traditional, proven method of emptying the mind. And it takes time and persistent daily practice. But it is proven.
If you can sit still and focus only on the breath, this would be a great start. If only for a few minutes at a time. Then find a meditation practice that you can commit to, and do it daily. It can transform your life.
Best Wishes,
Ben Schwarcz, MFT
Santa Rosa Psychotherapist
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