As a young boy, I remember hearing the statement: “all things can be tied to math”. I never really gave it much thought at the time; I just believed it.
Recently, I’ve found myself counting things that I’ve never counted, or even paid much attention to, before. I have no clue why, but crazy things like steps from my car to the door of the grocery store, the number of stairs up a flight of stairs, or the number of people in a room. I never paid any attention to those things before and they really don’t matter to me now, but for some unknown reason, I’ve developed this tendency to count them.
I asked my old friend AI to tell me what it means when someone develops a habit of counting mundane things. This is what AI came up with as possible causes:
- Mild Anxiety or Need for Control
- Early Signs of Obsessive/Compulsive Tendencies
- Mindfulness or Grounding Without Realizing It
- A Highly Pattern-Seeking Brain
I thought through each of these possible causes. For me, it’s not anxiety or need for control as I don’t really feel anxious about things when I begin counting. I highly doubt it’s early signs of obsessive/compulsive tendencies as I’m much too old to be starting that now. It could be mindfulness and trying to stay in the moment, but it seems a little far-fetched in my case. It’s definitely not a highly pattern-seeking brain. I’m so scatter-brained that my brain often laughs at my randomness.
So, what is it then? I think my counting has developed as a way to keep my mind active. I have convinced myself that an active mind is absolutely necessary, especially with a long-term progressive condition like Myasthenia Gravis. Constantly exercising my mind not only helps to keep it sharp, but it keeps it busy, as well, allowing for less time to think about things that are negative or harmful. I refuse to allow “I can’t or I’m too tired” to take over my mind. The busier I am, the better off I am.
Those that know me know that I always have a project or two going on, always seem to have several irons in the fire. Of course, my blogs help keep me busy, but I need more than just my blogs. I usually like to have a couple of projects going on at any given time.
Today, I just launched an online course available to the general public on drones. The course helps drone flyers prepare to take their FAA exam to earn their FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification. I’ve written these types of courses for colleges in the past, but recently decided to produce my own course and offer it online to everyone. It was a lot of work, but I find fulfillment in accomplishing tough jobs like this.
So, back to counting. When my mind isn’t active on a project or anything else important, I give it tasks just to keep it busy. These aren’t challenging tasks, as the results don’t really matter. I’m not trying to become more efficient or challenge my abilities by counting steps to the front door of the grocery store; I’m simply counting to keep my mind active and focused.
Why do I feel this is so important? With Myasthenia Gravis, I can’t control the fatigue my body feels or the instances when I don’t have enough strength to do something. I can, however, control how I react to it. As long as I keep my mind busy and focused on things that aren’t negative, I remain in control. If I allow my mind to sink into thinking I’m a victim, I will become that victim. As long as I focus on the positive, my mind stays sharp and my attitude stays strong. I take control of the things I can control (my mind) and quit worrying so much about the things that are out of my control (fatigue).
I’m not suggesting anyone should start counting. That’s my own little quirk. I am, however, encouraging you to keep your mind active, as active as possible. It’s your best defense and the best proven way to fight MG.