Instilling calm into your everyday life is now more important than ever. Our modern culture, as exciting as it is, is riddled with so many events and circumstances that can creep in to steal our peace of mind. Stress and anxiety are at an all-time high as we muddle through trying to juggle our responsibilities and make sense of it all. There are pressures at home and work.
The world is anxious.
I’m sure you are familiar with the conventional ways to achieve calm: meditate, go for a walk, listen to relaxing music, etc., but what about the uncommon ways? We are all wired differently. Perhaps what works for someone else does not work as well for you. You may benefit from some of these unconventional ways to until calm into your life.
Here are a few strategies to experiment with:
1. Put your Phone on Silent
Or even better, airplane mode. It’s a big ask, so don’t worry if you need to take baby steps to get there. The point of this exercise is that a silent phone increases the chances of achieving a quiet mind. We’re all so distracted by the black screens that we forget to soak up the present moment. Try it and see what happens.
2. Mindful Eating
If you’re puzzled by this one, you’re not alone. Most people like to scarf down their food the second it’s in front of them — very primal of us. But every once and a while, it pays to eat slowly and take in every bite. Focus on the flavors as they marry, the textures, and the joy of being able to eat. That’s called mindful eating!
3. Watch TV
Hold on, watching TV will make me calmer?! Did I hear that watching TV is terrible for your mind? I’m talking about watching TV in healthy, moderate doses. That doesn’t mean you should binge-watch TV every day, but when your mind needs a break, it’s perfectly acceptable to put on an episode of your favorite show to relax.
4. Do Something Mundane
Most people don’t get excited about mundane, menial tasks like doing the laundry or washing dishes, but it’s great for the mind. You’re probably used to a lot of thinking in that brain of yours, which means you’re not giving it a lot of time to focus on something without being consumed by it. Try it. You might like “washing the dishes by hand” after all.
5. Use Art to Achieve Calm
You don’t need to be a junior Picasso (or maybe you are!), to enjoy the mind-calming effects of art. Visit a museum or stare at your favorite picture hanging on your wall. Art does an excellent job of calming people down and bringing them back to a grounded state.
6. Create Routines
The power of routines to overcome stress and boredom is real. Routines help us organize our tasks and energy to get things done while reducing decision fatigue. Getting the right things done has a way of calming our minds.
7. Practice Kindness Towards Yourself
We can be our own worse critics, especially when we are stressed. The cruel little voice in your head that screams at you about “all the things”, can be brutal. When you constantly judge yourself, you clutter your mind and get yourself into a rut. You begin to confuse facts with your own opinion. A calm mind becomes impossible. Instead of being your own worse critic, learn how to be your own best friend.
8. Know When it is Time to Get Help
Feeling anxious from time to time is normal. It happens to everyone. However, If your feelings of anxiety are causing you to feel overwhelmed and are interrupting your day-to-day life, then it’s time to seek help from a mental health professional. Period!
Whatever method (or methods) you choose to try, be sure you’re doing what feels best for your mind and body. This is a personal thing — finding calm should be a happy, worry-free journey. It should never cause additional stress. Have fun!!
Be well + prosper,
Elaine xx
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