OK. So what are mind knots? What do you think they are? Is this some clever play on words or could there be some deep meaning involved here? I would like to think the latter. As usual, I joke to hide my true feelings, about life, love, and the pursuit of a good hair day. When the time comes, which might be soon, I may open up completely. Meaning, the knots of my mind will untangle. But just how did they get that way in the first place?

During childhood, we all go through a stage of self. Of wonder. Puzzlement. Self, being the most ignored stage of all. Why? Because there’s only so much of each person to go around. I have been reminded of that since getting my new puppy, er, I mean terror. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a joy to watch as she gazes into the sky as a flock of birds flies by on some mysterious journey. But it’s terror to find the new roll of paper towels I just opened, shredded on the kitchen floor among other items. Paying attention to her continuously is not an option.

During the early years of self-exploration using the most prominent role models we can find, our parents, we start storing this information in our ever expanding brains. Hungry for all the tasty data morsels and experiences we can round up.

And yet, like most, our parents included, tend to send mixed signals to our developing minds. Like: you can touch this, but not this unless you first do this. Which is way more than our tiny growing data banks of information can decipher most of the time. The contradictions can be very frustrating as well.

Like: go outside and play.

Which seems very innocent until the next day when you are outside playing at the same time as the day before, and then you get scolded for being outside playing. Thus begins the first mind knot. And like top forty hits, they keep coming. Authority knots, peer knots, science knots, relationship knots – among others, continue to be stored in the deep recesses of your subconscious.

Is there a simple way to untangle these knots without breaking the decades of knowledge stored within the walls of your psyche? These contradictions can be so devastating to personal growth that nothing around you has value in your life. I get to the point where I want to stop the world and get off. Not as in ceasing to exist. I’m only using that as a metaphor. With all the mind knots I have inside, I find that using humor is a great way to unravel the knots and keep new ones from forming in the first place.

1 – Today at the bank, an old lady asked me to check her balance – so I pushed her over.

2 – My boss told me to have a good day.. so I went home.

3 – My friend says to me: “What rhymes with orange” I said: “No it doesn’t”

4 – My wife accused me of being immature. I told her to get out of my fort.

5 – Two cows are standing in a field. One cow says “Did you hear about that outbreak of mad cow disease? It makes cows go completely insane!”. The other cow replies “Good thing I’m a helicopter”.

And when I stop laughing and reality comes crashing back into my thoughts, it begins again. The Mind Knot Cycle.

More on this subject in the weeks to come…