Your Journey Back to Inner Peace
Are you looking for a mental and/or emotional reset button to feel clear-headed, ever-present, and on top of things once more? You’re not alone. What might have worked over the past year to bring balance and joy might not be working as well anymore. Perhaps you need something new to waken the mind and bring the body back to a more harmonious state. But what? What can be integrated into an already chaotic lifestyle that can bring a semblance of balance? I’m glad you asked.
Yoga. Yoga can be integrated into life with ease. You can squeeze in 5 minutes at, near, or away from your desk to experience automatic benefits. For stress-reduction, try one of the eight poses discussed by Colleen Yee in Yoga Journal. Forward bends, as she mentions, are great for stretching out the hamstrings, which can become tight when experiencing stress, but forward bends also encourage exhalation. Which brings me to…
Breath. It is not uncommon for individuals to breathe shallow or hold their breath when under stress or anxiety. When you find yourself scatterbrained, anxious, unsettled, or frustrated, take a pause and scan your body. Are you breathing shallow? Take a deep breath. Fill your lungs with air. Then, exhale the negative emotions or thoughts. Even 5 deep breaths can restore some balance and help you think more clearly. For a couple more tips and tricks on breath, click here.
Touch. Touch can also ground you and help those anxious feelings dissipate. When you truly pay attention to what it is you are feeling, it shifts the mind away from the stressor and brings you to a state of peace. From there, it’s much easier to think about practical next steps without a heightened sense of anxiety. Worry stones or stress balls are easy to incorporate into your day to day routine.
Another technique, which is used for panic attack sufferers to help prevent or overcome sudden panic attacks, is to sit on the floor with one’s eyes closed and feel the ground with one’s fingertips. Both the act of sitting down and the act of feeling the ground creates a sense of grounding and shifts the mind from the situation that is provoking panic. This can work for anyone experiencing stress or anxiety.
Smell. Ah, the power of scent. There are multiple ways to play to our sense of smell. Some folks might prefer to relax with a cup of Earl Grey tea to get a hint of it’s aromatic bergamot scent, while others might prefer the use of essential oils, candles, or incense. Regardless of the one (or few) methods you use, there is power in scents for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Peppermint and citrus are great when you need an energy boost. Sandalwood, vanilla, frankincense and myrrh are wonderful for feeling grounded. Jasmine, lavender, and chamomile can support relaxation and wellbeing. What I love about this method for stress reduction is the ease with which we can integrate it into our home and work life.
So there you have it. A few additional techniques (or perhaps old but long forgotten techniques) that can be integrated into your life for a mental and/or emotional reset when the days seem long and the stress feels never-ending. You are not alone dear friends. Reset and power on, you’ve got this.
Image: Shivoham Shiva Temple, Bengalaru, India
India, the birthplace of yoga and a country where citizens actively embrace breath work, touch (e.g. healing stones), and smell (e.g. incense) in their daily lives for religious and spiritual purposes.
At the time of this writing, India has recorded nearly 20 million cases of COVID-19. My heart goes out to the country and everyone with loved ones impacted by the crisis. May we see your plight change course soon.