Practice Being Calm All Day by Slowing Down

Most humans feel comfortable with things that are familiar whether that’s their favorite foods, people they know, or a routine. When our routines are disrupted, we can expect our minds to feel a little anxious. Here are some ideas that will help you reduce anxiety and stay calm right now and ultimately, you’ll have some great tools to use anytime and this can help you develop new habits that will open you to a new world of bliss.

A friend of mine recently said something that planted such a strong seed with me that it began to be a turning point in how I live my life. He said his goal was to master calmness and always be that way no matter what. It struck me so profoundly that for the next few days I was observing where in my own life I wasn’t calm.

I realized, calmness had not been a priority and then started to reflect on how valuable calmness is when it comes to our health, our relationships and our overall enjoyment of life. It’s the big kahuna, the king kong, it’s the tree topper in the emotional decoration of our life that makes us twinkle.

How to Cultivate Calmness

When our mind is jumping around from one thing to the next, we start to feel anxious. Similarly, when we don’t direct our minds, it can start thinking negatively and feed our fears with energy. When we have something to focus on, all the energy our mind is constantly generating has an outlet.

Essentially, you can do some of these simple things at home with all of your attention and it will be a win-win. You’ll get some stuff done that will make you feel good and you’ll lower your anxiety. The way in which we do things and the focus we cultivate while doing them makes all the difference.

Focus on Movement

For example, if you pull out a recipe and decide to make something delicious, doing everything slowly, with great care, and even breathing and moving slowly will help you feel calm and get you to stop worrying. It will require your focus and be a form of moving meditation.

Another thing you can do that requires all your focus is cleaning. But don’t just clean trying to get it done. Notice the details and have the intention of making your home a place that feels amazing. Again, move slowly and breathe slowly as you do it and it will become a simple remedy for anxiety.

There are certainly many fun things we can do to help us focus on the present. Kids do it all the time. They make art, play video games, get lost in a movie, build things, do gymnastics, immerse in learning a new skill, and play other games and sports. All of these childlike activities are helpful for practicing being present instead of trying to plan everything in the future.

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Why Seek Out Calmness?

Having the ability to react peacefully and lovingly in all situations gives us the ability to hold onto our happiness amidst change, in adversity and when faced with difficult moments. It allows us to process our emotions before responding so we don’t hurt others and so we don’t say things defensively.

It allows us to keep our stress levels low which can lower inflammation in the body, reduce the risk of long term diseases and keep our adrenal glands functioning optimally.

Simplifying our day simplifies our minds so we can think about what we are doing and act with integrity and speak from our hearts. We also have time when we slow down to hear the voice of our own soul, our intuition which has valuable information about what is best for us.

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How To Be Calm

During this time when we are social distancing and spending time at home, whether we are around people or flying solo, our health will remain stronger, if we cultivate calmness. That’s pretty cool, right? It allows us to keep our stress levels low which can lower inflammation in the body, strengthen our immune system, reduce the risk of long term diseases, and keep our adrenal glands (which are in charge of our hormones) functioning optimally.

There are other benefits to simply slowing down and enjoying each moment. One of the big ones is that you’re less reactive. If you’re finding people are irritating you during this time, you need this tool of calmness to make it a fun time instead of one that feels like you’re stuck in.

Find Peace and Love

Having the ability to react peacefully and lovingly in all situations gives us the ability to hold onto our happiness amidst change, in adversity and when faced with difficult moments. It allows us to process our emotions before responding so we don’t hurt others and so we don’t say things defensively.

In addition to moving slowly, don’t give yourself a million things to do. Doing less allows us to slow down, be more present, and focus on one thing at a time. Simplifying our day simplifies our minds so we can think about what we are doing and act with integrity and speak from our hearts. We also have time when we slow down to hear the voice of our own soul, our intuition which has valuable information about what is best for us.

Here is a list of some ways to cultivate calmness in your day

• Move slowly when cooking and cleaning.
• Speak slowly when you’re talking to people.
• Do less in the day so you don’t feel pressured.
• Take time to cultivate calmness in meditation.
• Have a technique to calm yourself down.
• Speak in a calm manner with careful consideration of words.

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How To Remain Calm During Change and Uncertainty

First, create a routine for yourself at home that you can do without rushing. Even write yourself a big note that says, “slow down and breathe,” to help you start to make this a habit. Breathing slowly and deeply helps you feel better and helps you feel more optimistic.

In your daily routine, incorporate some form of exercise to get an endorphin release daily. This could be yoga, joining an online class, or doing your own workout. But do your exercise with a calm attitude and a sense of lightheartedness. We have a variety of free at-home yoga flows like restorative yoga and a core strengthening flow, for you that you can do at your own pace.

Depending on your situation, it might even be better to just take a meditative walk. In addition to exercise, make sure you’re carving out some time for relaxation in your day. Maybe you’re working from home and then feel like there are still many other things to do but you will thrive during this time at home if you make it a priority to incorporate time for relaxation that is unstructured so you can just check in with yourself.

Conclusion

Slowing down allows you to tune into your intuition which is the ultimate calming resource. Our intuition has a greater sense of what is to come and how we can find peace. Our intuition opens us to spiritual perspectives that help us see beyond our material lives.

Spending some time in quiet meditation listening to your heart can perhaps help you know more than anything else. It can help us detach from the need to control things and plan things and just be and feel the incredible miracle of existence. Your body has the innate wisdom to help you through change and help you trust that things are and will be fine.

We probably all feel the desire to help others who are stressed during this time. Moving slowly through life can help not only us remain peaceful but it will create a more peaceful feeling in those we interact with.

Ask yourself, what’s the rush? Do one thing at a time and be present to what you are doing. If you’re cutting a cucumber, just do that.

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