Some people are constantly observing themselves and analyzing everything they do. Their minds are constantly rating every action, every thought as if their minds didn't exist inside their bodies, but they were observing their bodies from afar. The point of the kind of "screening" I recommend in Storyboard Your Life is the opposite of this kind of screening. Instead of being inside the mind observing the body--which is like our being inside the television set we're supposed to be watching commenting on ourselves sitting on the couch--let's reverse that. Instead, let's become aware of ourselves in our bodies as we watch the contents of our mind. That way we are at home in our bodies, centered, "in the room" and alive, gently observing the thoughts and pictures flitting by in our minds, not trapped inside them.

It's not easy to get outside our mental TV set and observe objectively. We tend to think that our way of seeing things is "reality" and our feelings accurately reflect how bad that reality seems to us. Thoughts are just thoughts. Feelings are just feelings. Step back, get centered in yourself and observe. You'll be amazed at how making a practice of this will expand your capacity to see. It's also relaxing, once you get used to it.

Dr. Herbert Benson, bestselling author and researcher at Harvard Medical School's Mind/Body Medical Institute (www.mbmi.org) wrote a book in the 1970's called "The Relaxation Response" re-issued in a new edition a few years ago and now has another book out called "The Break-out Principle". In these books he explores what happens to the brain when people relax their minds with simple techniques such as focusing on a word meaningful to your belief system as you breathe out. An anonymous Christian mystic wrote about this technique in a famous classic called "The Cloud of Unknowing". But Dr. Benson has studied the power of this technique to bring about breakthroughs in performance, in health, in creativity.

Why don't you try it? Set a timer for 20 minutes. Sit quietly in a room where you will be comfortable enough to sit for a while without interruptions, but not so comfortable you'll fall asleep. Become aware of yourself inside your body, as if you are screening your mind on a television set. Don't scrutinize too closely or get caught up in what you see. As you breathe out, think of a word, or say a short phrase that it meaningful to you. You don't need to chant the word or devote a lot of effort to this, just gently say your word and remain aware of yourself centered in your body whenever you feel your mind getting too caught up in the television set of your mind.

The results of this exercise show up over time. You may not feel much from only trying it once, and remaining aware and calm in the present moment is a practice that may take some people years to develop.