Reduce
Stress
 Calming
your mind
can be one of the best things to do for yourself if you find you need
to reduce
stress levels.
As adults, all of us juggle many
things. Work, family, finances, relationships…the
list
goes on. Dealing with so many things can keep our minds going
constantly. It doesn’t help that we are reachable
virtually
every minute of the day. With cell phones and smart phones,
people are able to contact us at anytime by calling or email.
We
are constantly bombarded with information that keeps our minds running
every minute we’re awake. While the immediacy of
information can be a great tool to have, it is important to realize how
this continual onslaught of information can make it difficult for
anyone to slow down and feel that peaceful, inner calm.
If you feel this
describes you, there are several techniques to help calm your mind and
bring back that peaceful feeling. Many people have found that
imagery to relax, meditation, and even self-hypnosis are great
tools. Each of these tools is easy to learn and you can see
benefits from all of them in a very short period of time.
Imagery to Relax
If you find
yourself getting stressed or running on empty during the day, the use
of imagery can help. Think of somewhere peaceful and calming
that
you have been or would like to go. It can be the beach,
fishing
on a boat in the middle of a lake, or even relaxing in the
mountains. Take a few minutes and find a place where there
are no
distractions. If you’re at work, this could be an
empty
conference room or a break room. Sit with your eyes closed
and
image yourself in the setting. Try and focus on all of the
elements you would experience. Is the sun shining down on
you? How does the breeze feel on your face? What
kind of
smells do you notice? Making the imagery as vivid as possible
will help to calm the mind, giving a feeling of peace and relaxation.
This technique can
also be used if you find your mind focusing on unwanted
thoughts.
Maybe you’re nervous about an upcoming meeting with your boss
or
having to speak in public. When you feel these thoughts creep
into your head, take a few minutes and practice your imagery.
Just a few minutes can help to calm your mind and make you feel
instantly better.
Meditation
There is a reason
meditation has been around for thousands of years. Not only
does
it help to connect the mind and body, but it has incredible calming
effects. People who practice meditation regularly know the
wonderful benefits it offers and can feel it on a daily
basis. It
has long been known that meditation also helps with healing the
body. Doing meditation for just 15-20 minutes a day several
times
a week can greatly change how you feel on a day to day basis.
If you are new to
meditation there are several ways to get started. You can
find a
class, read a book about it, download a guided meditation from the
internet, or purchase a CD. Meditation is one of those things
that the more you practice, the easier it is and the greater the
benefits.
Self-Hypnosis
Self-hypnosis works
in the same fashion as traditional hypnosis. It is a calming
of
the mind to the point that the mind is clear. When the mind
is
clear, specific suggestions are made. The purpose of doing
this
is because when the mind is in this very calm state, it is more likely
to listen to suggestions being made and practicing those
suggestions. The suggestions that are made can address
calming
the mind as well as reminders to keep it calm when things are hectic
throughout the day.
As with meditation,
there are numerous places to find information on learning
self-hypnosis. There are books, CDs, and downloads
available. Added benefits of doing it yourself are that you
don’t need to pay someone else, don’t need to worry
about
making an appointment and driving back and forth, and you can do it
whenever it’s convenient.
Any of these mind
calming tools can be used as needed. The imagery may be more
convenient while at work, but the meditation and self-hypnosis may make
it so that you don’t need to use imagery at all.
You can
try all methods and find which one works best for you, or can use all
of them. After starting, you will begin to notice your mind
calming after practicing one of the methods. After a few
weeks,
you will notice how your mind is able to remain calm throughout the
day.
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