My Experiment: Part 1 – Introduction

I want to deprogram my mind. I feel like I have all these programs running through my head that have developed in response to my environment. I needed to develop these programs, because we all have to figure out how to fit in to our environment. But often, the programs get out of control, they start running on autopilot. I feel like I’m going through life in a series of conditioned responses to my surroundings, hardly making any conscious decisions. 

The theory I want to test is that moving to a totally new environment will allow me to consciously create the programs that run in my mind, and keep control of them. One thing I keep hearing about Costa Rica is that it has a slower pace of life. I’m hoping a relaxed pace will help me maintain control of the programs. The pace of life in the San Francisco Bay Area is so fast, I feel like I need all the programs on autopilot just to get through everything. There’s no time to make conscious decisions. 

I’m hoping to create a life that I want to live, instead of a life that is living me. 

The challenge I foresee is the fact that my brain is conditioned to run these programs, if I’m not careful, they’ll just start running again, finding things in my new environment to react to. Again, this is where I’m hope slowing down will help. I need to have time to examine my thoughts and actions, to ensure I’m consciously making decisions, instead of just responding on autopilot.

So I’m going to try it out for a month first, see if I find a place that I feel will be conducive to consciously creating a life I want to live. 

And I’m hoping to have some fun along the way. But the real point of having fun is to be consciously living in the moment. Fun activities for me are things that help me be present, or demand that I be present. Surfing, diving, hiking, yoga, dancing, playing music, nature, meditation, all these things help me live fully in the moment. I’ll pursue some of these activities, but not too many. My goal is to just be in the moment. 

That’s the life I want to create, a life of conscious living, not unconscious reacting. 

Read Part 2 here:My Experiment: Part 2

For some background reading about the experiment, check out this earlier post: Experiments in Lifestyle Design