Have you ever found yourself thinking, imagining, or planning something, only to realize that you weren’t actually doing it? That’s because when we think, plan, or imagine, we create an entire world inside our minds and live that moment virtually.
For example, if we’re mad at someone, we might mentally fight with them before we actually do it. If we’re planning to propose to a girl, we might already have proposed to her in our minds. And if we’re excited about buying a new car in the future, we might already have driven it, changed the gears, and gone above 100 kmph in our minds.
All of this is living a virtual life, or virtual reality. We don’t know for sure if we’ll ever get to do the things we’re practicing in our minds. Maybe we’ll reach out to the person we’re mad at and he will apologize so much that we choose to forgive them. Maybe we’ll see the girl with someone else and decide not to ask her out. Maybe by the time we’re ready to buy the car, there will be new models available at better prices, and we’ll choose a different one.
So all that planning, thinking, and practicing was just virtual, and it never happened in the real world. But it wasn’t a waste of time because it helps us deal with situations if things go as planned. It’s also a good exercise for our minds. And yes, there are things called “wishful thinking” and “law of attraction” that are based on this imaginary thought process.
Let’s delve deeper into concept of living in our minds. Consider a recent graduate who is eager to start their career. What are their thoughts? Chances are, they are engrossed in a short or long virtual game during their free time.
A short virtual game might involve preparing for an interview, responding to the interviewer, negotiating a salary, impressing the interviewer, and securing the job. They might also imagine the joy of earning a monthly salary and the financial freedom it brings.
On the other hand, a long virtual game might center around the sense of pride they feel upon joining a company, the happiness their parents will experience, and the savings they will make each month. They might also contemplate purchasing items they’ve been wanting, such as a new iPhone or a better place to rent, where they can comfortably invite friends.
You get the idea? We all engage in this daily mental activity. If you doubt me, simply pay attention to your thoughts, and you’ll likely find yourself doing the same thing most of the time.
Regardless of the task we’re engaged in at the moment, our minds take a brief break and automatically initiate this short virtual reality game. Whether we’re watching TV, doing dishes, reading a book, attending a meeting, walking, driving, or eating, this game starts spontaneously and often goes unnoticed.
Most of the time, our bodies are in autopilot mode. We begin a task with minimal attention, and once we become accustomed to it, our minds take over and initiate this enjoyable virtual game. We might go for a walk, wash the dishes, or iron the clothes, all while simultaneously thinking about something else. Our bodies perform the tasks we’ve been instructed to do, and now our minds can relax and indulge in this mental activity.
If you recall, when you first learned to drive, you were fully focused on steering, braking, shifting gears, and clutching. If someone was talking to you during this process, you felt distracted or even angry. However, once you become an experienced driver, you don’t pay much attention. Your hands automatically shift gears when needed, and your legs apply the brakes. You can even talk to the person sitting next to you at the same time. But what happens when you’re driving alone? You tend to think of something, like a virtual game.
All of these virtual situations occur during the day or when you’re not sleeping. It’s also called “daydreaming” because when you’re asleep, it’s another form of virtual reality called “dreams.”
Have you ever noticed someone sitting somewhere with their eyes open, looking blankly into space? They’re not looking anywhere but inside their mind, playing a virtual game. It means they’re thinking about something. You know they’re thinking because you saw them lost somewhere. You suddenly ask them what they were thinking, and most of the time, they’ll say “nothing” until it’s something intense or troublesome, then only they’ll remember.
Now, with these new electronic virtual reality gadgets and platforms like Metaverse, you can simply do the same thing on a digital platform that you were doing in your mind before. Isn’t that amazing?
What makes me laugh is, if you’re thinking of doing something in this digital virtual reality world, it’s like “virtual life x 2” because you’re virtually thinking about doing something in Metaverse (virtual). Haha!
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