Jeena Cho, Simple Practices You Can Do In 10 Minutes To Calm The Distressed Mind, Forbes.com
Most of us are constantly bombarded with 24/7 input of information, from work, family, friends, social media, email, text messages and so on. Try these techniques for soothing the distressed mind—over days or weeks—rather than simply read through the list. Like physical exercise, it won’t do any good to watch someone demonstrate it. You must practice it.
1. Relax Your Breathing
Take just a few minutes to pay attention to your breath—how you’re breathing can ease the mind and defuse the body’s natural fight-or-flight response.
It can be difficult to engage in slow, diaphragmatic breathing, especially when you’re experiencing strong emotions. But you know intuitively that when you’re under a high amount of stress, experiencing anxiety or in full panic mode, this leads to bad decision making.
2. Meditate
When we sit quietly, it can force a lot of feelings, unprocessed issues and thoughts to the surface. Allow yourself to work through those subconscious stress creators.
Remember that there’s no perfect or ideal time for meditation. Pay attention to the excuses your mind may cling to. For example, I can’t meditate now because there’s too much background noise or I can’t meditate because the kids might walk in, etc. Can you meditate despite the distractions?
3. Connect With Your Happy
We can get so caught up in the nonstop bombardment from news and other distractions that we lose touch with simple activities that make us feel happy and joyful. I encourage you to pay attention! When do you feel good (and when do you feel bad)?
- Hug someone who loves you. Research suggests hugs may boost your immune system and reduce stress.
- Listen to your favorite song. According to the American Psychological Association, listening to songs or better yet, singing a song may have therapeutic benefits.
- Move your body, change your mind. You already know this but worth reminding. When you’re stuck in a funk, move your body. Can’t get to the gym or outside? Do exercises at your desk.