I, like most people, have the tendency to try and fit as much as we possible can into our days off. Leaving us already tired for the work week. We need time. Time to relax. Time to work on ourselves. Time for ourselves. Time to calm the mind.
We live in a society now where it is go, go, go all of the time. There is never any downtime. Well, unless you get sucked into some series on Netflix. But I am still watching and either thinking about what I need to get done or what I would like to accomplish. There really is never enough time.
As I posted Part I of my life's journey, I think about all that I have overcome and that I am still here standing. Life really, like really, really, tried to break me. I tumbled and crumbled and I am slowly working on putting myself back together. Shit, there are a lot of pieces to work with and some don't fit anymore. That's what happens, life changes you. You have to either roll and accept the changes or fight it and wear your body out. It's time to step back and look at your needs and wants for your life. Not that you need that new outfit. Rather, what you want out of this life. We only have one shot.
We only have one try at this thing called life. We might have a 2nd chance at something one day, but we have to try and live in the moment. Being present is better than capturing that moment on your phone. But what I can really preach, because I am the same way. I look for those special moments and try to capture them. But I digress. We are here to calm the mind. To give ourselves that much needed break.
Here are some tools that I use to help ease my mind and calm the anxiety.
Breathing. Focused Breathing
A friend told me but I breathe all day. Thats not what were talking about. Focused breathing is the key to this part. Either following along on a phone or watch app or count. Breathe in for the count of 4, hold for the count of 4 and slowly release for the count of 8.
Mediation
This was a hard one for me. Luckily, I like a good or should I say, a great deal. If it's free, its all the better. I was able to score a free trial to the Calm app. See, I tried mediation before and I was like, nope. My brain is in overdrive and it won't stop. I can't do this. I can't focus. I decided to jump in and give it the ole college try again. They had a 30 day program on teaching you the basics of mediation. Turns out, yes your mind will fill with thoughts, but we need to recognize them and then let them pass. Now I try to do at least 10-15 minutes a day of guided mediation. Really, give it a shot.
Visit Calm and check out their free trial.
Making Lists
I do this daily when I get into work. Here is what I need to accomplish today. But this also works at home. Start your list at the beginning of the week on what you would like to accomplish. We get so hell bent on trying to complete it all in one day that we are leaving ourselves exhausted and tired. Having the list of this weeks goals will allow you to complete small steps throughout the week to give you some extra me time.
Coloring/Crafting
I am like the project queen. The queen that has it all the pieces but would really like to just have someone make it for me. I think that I should try something but instead of starting small, I go all in. I think that I need every piece of the project and every tool before I get started. Then I overwhelm myself. I can recognize this, but it usually doesn't stop the process. Coloring, especially an "adult" style coloring book can really help calm and relax you.
Gardening
I am so ready for spring so I can work out in the yard and tend to the flower gardens. I love seeing them growing and then flourish into these beautiful flowers. It helps the bees and hummingbirds that I always try and attract. It also helps the mind.
Baking
When I am super stressed, I turn to baking. This will usually take my whole day up. I really don't even care what I am making, I just turn to it. Well, I have the biggest sweet tooth, so that doesn't really help. I prefer baking because there are exact measurements that you need so that your baked goods turn out correctly. This helps keep my mind focused on the task at hand.
**Click the photo to take you to the recipe for these Chocolate Toffee Bars**
Music
Sometimes its as good as putting on your favorite playlist and just having a good ole jam session. Can't carry a tune in a 5 gallon bucket? Me either. I tend to want to go for a drive, crank the tunes as loud as I can and scream sing along. It's not pretty at all but when I pull back into the driveway, I feel better. Maybe it's just the screaming.
Yoga
Doing this is not very pretty. But I try. I find "beginner" yoga on YouTube and just start. I like to use the same video until I can try and "perfect" my poses. This allows me to focus on what I am doing and give the body a good stretch at the same time. I started using SaraBethYoga and now I just follow up and move up to different videos that she has posted on YouTube. It's nice because it only takes 10 whole minutes of your day and I feel more relaxed. But feel free to choose the right person and poses for yourself.
There are so many options out there and you need to find what works for you. There is no right or wrong way to do this. This is your journey and do what feels right for you. But you have to take some me time. You deserve it. We all deserve it.
Opmerkingen