--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At least half of your mind is always…" description: "\"At least half of your mind is always thinking, I'll be leaving; this won't last. It's a good Buddhist attitude. If I were a Buddhist, this would be a g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/anne-carson-1985_always-thinking_at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thi_3052079.png" --- # At least half of your mind is always thinking, I'll be… ![“At least half of your mind is always thinking, I'll be leaving; this won't last. It's a good Buddhist attitude. If I were a Buddhist, this would be a great help. As it is, I'm just sad.” quote by Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/anne-carson-1985_always-thinking_at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thi_3052079.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/anne-carson-1985_always-thinking_at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thi_3052079.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/anne-carson-1985_always-thinking_at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thi_3052079.png) > “At least half of your mind is always thinking, I'll be leaving; this won't last. It's a good Buddhist attitude. If I were a Buddhist, this would be a great help. As it is, I'm just sad.” [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constant mental chatter hinders peace; acknowledging impermanence can soothe sadness. **In simple terms:** Quiet the mind, accept change. Key Takeaway Practice mindfulness. Themes mindfulness impermanence sadness Mood calm melancholic Type reflective spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - stress management Key Concepts buddhism mental health Questions to Reflect On - How do you observe thoughts? - What anchors you in the present? A Different Perspective Mindfulness requires discipline. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-thinking/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Buddhist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) [Good buddhist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-buddhist/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Basically, the Buddhist attitude is that you should not accept certain things through sheer faith. And for that you need a skeptical attitude. Buddha…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/basically-the-buddhist-attitude-is-that-you-should-not-accept-certain/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I see no contradiction between Buddhism and Christianity ... I intend to become as good a Buddhist as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/i-see-no-contradiction-between-buddhism-and-christianity-i-intend-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I'm working at trying to be a Christian and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-m-working-at-trying-to-be-a-christian-and-that-s-serious-business-2/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [As any good Buddhist will tell you, the only way to find permanent joy is by embracing the fact that nothing is permanent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/as-any-good-buddhist-will-tell-you-the-only-way-to-find-permanent-joy-2/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Buddha was not a Christian, but Jesus would have made a good Buddhist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-wylie-hubbard/buddha-was-not-a-christian-but-jesus-would-have-made-a-good-buddhist/) [Ray Wylie Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-wylie-hubbard/) > [Whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings...that doctrine believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/whatsoever-after-due-examination-and-analysis-you-find-to-be-kind/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“The Buddha isn’t a god or deity to be worshipped. He was a rebel and an overthrower, the destroyer of ignorance, the great physician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/the-buddha-isn-t-a-god-or-deity-to-be-worshipped-he-was-a-rebel-and/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) > [“I saw then how I could be a good Buddhist and a good chef, and serve meat that is given freely, without suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-johnson/i-saw-then-how-i-could-be-a-good-buddhist-and-a-good-chef-and-serve/) [Matthew Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-johnson/) > [“As any good Buddhist will tell you, the only way to find permanent joy is by embracing the fact that nothing is permanent. Chapters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-n-beck/as-any-good-buddhist-will-tell-you-the-only-way-to-find-permanent-joy/) [Martha N. Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-n-beck/) > [The point of the spiritual revolution is not to become a good Buddhist, but to become a wise and compassionate human being, to awaken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/the-point-of-the-spiritual-revolution-is-not-to-become-a-good/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) > [Unfortunately, however, I have too many desires to make a good Buddhist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-coleman/unfortunately-however-i-have-too-many-desires-to-make-a-good-buddhist/) [Jim Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-coleman/) > [“In everything, no matter what it may be, uniformity is undesirable. Leaving something incomplete makes it interesting, and gives one the feeling that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/in-everything-no-matter-what-it-may-be-uniformity-is-undesirable/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [I think it's important to know what you're going to do with the ball before it comes to you. So you're always thinking before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/i-think-it-s-important-to-know-what-you-re-going-to-do-with-the-ball/) [Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/) > [I am not a finisher, I am a starter. And I am always thinking, what is the next project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-eisenman/i-am-not-a-finisher-i-am-a-starter-and-i-am-always-thinking-what-is/) [Peter Eisenman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-eisenman/) > [You're always thinking, "What does that add up to?" You can't really get a handle on it. I was curious. I felt like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hell/you-re-always-thinking-what-does-that-add-up-to-you-can-t-really-get/) [Richard Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hell/) ## More by Anne Carson > [Those nights lying alone are not discontinuous with this cold hectic dawn. It is who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/those-nights-lying-alone-are-not-discontinuous-with-this-cold-hectic/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“Town of the Dragon Vein If you wake up too early listen for it. A sort of inverted whistling the sound of sound. Being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/town-of-the-dragon-vein-if-you-wake-up-too-early-listen-for-it-a-sort/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“You could take the entirety of the common sense of humans and put it in the palm of your hand and still have room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/you-could-take-the-entirety-of-the-common-sense-of-humans-and-put-it/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [Could you visit me in dreams? That would cheer me. Sweet to see friends in the night, however short the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/could-you-visit-me-in-dreams-that-would-cheer-me-sweet-to-see-friends/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“He had a respect for facts maybe this was one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/he-had-a-respect-for-facts-maybe-this-was-one/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“She stumbled then and Geryon caught her other arm, it was like a handful of autumn. He felt huge and wrong. When is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/she-stumbled-then-and-geryon-caught-her-other-arm-it-was-like-a/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“M: ... but everytime I start in everytime I everytime you see I would have to tell the whole story all over again or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/m-but-everytime-i-start-in-everytime-i-everytime-you-see-i-would-have/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“On the Rules of Perspective A bad trick. Mistake. Dishonesty. These are the views of Braque. Why? Braque rejected perspective. Why? Someone who spends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/on-the-rules-of-perspective-a-bad-trick-mistake-dishonesty-these-are/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [We participate in the creation of the world by decreating ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/we-participate-in-the-creation-of-the-world-by-decreating-ourselves/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“Look at me. This is nobility in a man: to bear what falls from the gods and not say No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/look-at-me-this-is-nobility-in-a-man-to-bear-what-falls-from-the-gods/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“Well, they said, these are the pies we have . It was a proverb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/well-they-said-these-are-the-pies-we-have-it-was-a-proverb/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [What is a quote? A quote (cognate with quota) is a cut, a section, a slice of someone's orange. You suck the slice, toss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/what-is-a-quote-a-quote-cognate-with-quota-is-a-cut-a-section-a-slice/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [Up against another human being one's own procedures take on definition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/up-against-another-human-being-one-s-own-procedures-take-on-definition/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [Philosophy - hopeless. Yet it gives me hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/philosophy-hopeless-yet-it-gives-me-hope/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [“Grief and rage--you need to contain that, to put a frame around it, where it can play itself out without you or your kin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/grief-and-rage-you-need-to-contain-that-to-put-a-frame-around-it/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) [Explore all 193 Anne Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) ## More Always thinking quotes > [You're always thinking, "What does that add up to?" You can't really get a handle on it. I was curious. I felt like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hell/you-re-always-thinking-what-does-that-add-up-to-you-can-t-really-get/) [Richard Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hell/) > [I am not a finisher, I am a starter. And I am always thinking, what is the next project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-eisenman/i-am-not-a-finisher-i-am-a-starter-and-i-am-always-thinking-what-is/) [Peter Eisenman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-eisenman/) > [I think it's important to know what you're going to do with the ball before it comes to you. So you're always thinking before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/i-think-it-s-important-to-know-what-you-re-going-to-do-with-the-ball/) [Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/) > [People who are always thinking of the feelings of others can be very destructive because they are hiding so much from themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/people-who-are-always-thinking-of-the-feelings-of-others-can-be-very/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [I am always thinking 'What am I doing here? Is this the way I am supposed to feel?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-am-always-thinking-what-am-i-doing-here-is-this-the-way-i-am/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I'm always thinking about that young girl or young boy who doesn't quite know if their music, their messaging, their imaging, their voice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-m-always-thinking-about-that-young-girl-or-young-boy-who-doesn-t/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [We're trying, despite having done research and having obviously preconceived ideas, we try our best to be as open-hearted as possible, and try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/we-re-trying-despite-having-done-research-and-having-obviously/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [I'm always thinking of ideas and sounds. I am waiting on something new and dope to inspire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-ink/i-m-always-thinking-of-ideas-and-sounds-i-am-waiting-on-something-new/) [Kid Ink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-ink/) > [I want to feel like the things I did made a difference. That's one of the reasons I spend time greeting people on rope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-want-to-feel-like-the-things-i-did-made-a-difference-that-s-one-of/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Successful people are always thinking about what they can do to move to the next level. Initiative is the drive to do it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/successful-people-are-always-thinking-about-what-they-can-do-to-move/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [Meditation is one of the rare occasions when we're not doing anything. Otherwise, we're always doing something, we're always thinking something, we're always occupied.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/meditation-is-one-of-the-rare-occasions-when-we-re-not-doing-anything/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [The only reason why we are always thinking of our own ego is that we have to live with it more continuously than with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/the-only-reason-why-we-are-always-thinking-of-our-own-ego-is-that-we/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [I'm not a nosy person, but I'm always thinking 'I wonder why he did that? I wonder why this week he was this much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-douglas/i-m-not-a-nosy-person-but-i-m-always-thinking-i-wonder-why-he-did/) [Jill Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-douglas/) > [Fiction writing is a twenty-four-hou r-a-day occupation. You never leave your work behind. It is always with you, and to some extent, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/fiction-writing-is-a-twenty-four-hou-r-a-day-occupation-you-never/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [I tend to write about love because I'm always thinking about it. I think a lot though and struggle with overanalyzing. Way over. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-hervey/i-tend-to-write-about-love-because-i-m-always-thinking-about-it-i/) [Jillian Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-hervey/) [Browse all 94 Always thinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-thinking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At least half of your mind is always thinking, I'll be leaving; this won't last. It's a good Buddhist attitude. If I were a Buddhist, this would be a great help. As it is, I'm just sad.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Carson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thinking-i-ll-be-leaving-this/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always thinking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thinking-i-ll-be-leaving-this/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/anne-carson-1985_always-thinking_at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thi_3052079.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/anne-carson-1985_always-thinking_at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thi_3052079.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/anne-carson-1985_always-thinking_at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thi_3052079.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“At least half of your mind is always thinking, I'll be leaving; this won't last. It's a good Buddhist…” — Anne Carson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anne Carson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "At least half of your mind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thinking-i-ll-be-leaving-this/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/at-least-half-of-your-mind-is-always-thinking-i-ll-be-leaving-this/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```