Useful suggestions from "Your Brain Is Not for Thinking" by Lisa Feldman Barrett in the New York Times (23 Nov 2020):

Your brain's most important job isn't thinking; it's running the systems of your body to keep you alive and well. According to recent findings in neuroscience, even when your brain does produce conscious thoughts and feelings, they are more in service to the needs of managing your body than you realize. ... Your brain runs your body using something like a budget. A financial budget tracks money as it's earned and spent. The budget for your body tracks resources like water, salt and glucose as you gain and lose them. Each action that spends resources, such as standing up, running, and learning, is like a withdrawal from your account. Actions that replenish your resources, such as eating and sleeping, are like deposits.

... and operationally:

We're all living in challenging times, and we're all at high risk for disrupted body budgets. If you feel weary from the pandemic and you're battling a lack of motivation, consider your situation from a body-budgeting perspective. Your burden may feel lighter if you understand your discomfort as something physical. When an unpleasant thought pops into your head, like "I can't take this craziness anymore," ask yourself body-budgeting questions. "Did I get enough sleep last night? Am I dehydrated? Should I take a walk? Call a friend? Because I could use a deposit or two in my body budget."

This is not a semantic game. It's about making new meaning from your physical sensations to guide your actions.

(cf Let the Mind Pass By (2010-12-28), Coming Back to Your Breath (2011-09-25), Inner Iguana (2013-07-05), Body Mind Consciousness (2015-01-26), Inhabiting the Body (2015-09-10), Body, Treat Your Mind Well (2016-11-30), Just Zazen (2017-01-29), ...) - ^z - 2021-02-19