26/11/2019
Four Ways to Calm Your Mind in Stressful Times
Life throws chaos at us on a regular basis, whether it’s our finances, our relationships, or our health. Research suggests cultivating a more restful, relaxed state of mind will bring us greater attention, energy, and creativity.
Here are Four Simple Ways we can tap into that Calm State of Mind to be more Resilient in our chaotic lives. 1.Breathing 2. Self-compassion 3.Connection 4. Compassion for others.
1. Breathing. Using your breath, you can change how you feel. Our breathing is a powerful way for us to regulate our emotions, and it is something we take for granted. Through your breath, you can activate your parasympathetic nervous system—the calming response in your body. One of the most calming breathing exercises you can do is to breathe in (e.g., to a count of four), hold, and then breathe out for up to twice as long (e.g., to a count of six or eight). You can gently constrict your throat, making a sound like the ocean, which is used in deep relaxation breathing. As you’re doing this, especially thanks to those long exhales, you’re activating the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing your heart rate and blood pressure.
2. Self-compassion. Often we are our worst critic. We think that being self-critical will help us be more self-aware and make us work harder, but that’s a myth. In fact, according to a good deal of research, self-criticism destroys our resilience.
Self-compassion is the ability to be mindful of your emotions—aware of the emotions that are going on inside whenever you fail at something. It doesn’t mean you identify with them; you can just observe and notice them, without feeding the fire. Self-compassion also involves understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that it’s part of being human. And it is the ability to speak to yourself the way you would speak to a friend who just failed, warmly and kindly.
3. Connection. How often are we actually present for another person 100 percent? Our greatest human need, after food and shelter, is to connect with other people in a positive way.The good news is that by taking care of yourself and your own well-being with practices like breathing and self-compassion, you are able to turn more attention outward to feel more connected, as well.
4. Compassion and kindness for others. It protects us from adversity and increases your well-being tremendously, as many of us have experienced when we perform little acts of kindness. When we feel compassion, our heart rate goes down and our parasympathetic nervous system is more activated. Service is also one of the most profound ways to nourish the community around you, but also to nourish, inspire, and energise yourself. When we make time to breathe, connect, and care, some of the negative feelings we’ve been running from might catch up with us.
Its okay to feel bad, but that’s the time for self-compassion. Resilience doesn’t mean that we’ll be happy all the time, but it does mean we have the energy, the mindset, and the support from others to help us weather the storm.
This article was adapted from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center.
