5 Tips To Calm The Mind And See Things In A More Positive Way
It is essential for people’s mental health to learn to distance themselves from complex situations and segment what is a priority, in this way things can be seen more objectively and the mind is harmonized.
Sometimes, so many difficulties must be faced that it is difficult to quiet the mind and avoid negative thoughts, or rather, prevent them from taking control. The stress of work, relationship crises and financial ups and downs are some of the factors that can saturate on a psychological level, to the point of causing great stress and even depression.
The most harmful of all this is not having negative thoughts, but it is the little attention that is paid to mental health because there are more issues to be fulfilled, such as day-to-day tasks. However, as people are not machines or made of stone, there comes a time when everything comes to the fore. We overflowed.
For all this, it is essential to learn to quiet the mind, manage accumulated tension and seek solutions to problems. Although it is usually not easy at first, you should try to improve your attitude and do everything possible to do so. Next, a series of tips will be shared that can be put into practice when experiencing vicissitudes.
1. Try to empty your mind for a minute
When you think about many things at the same time and the mind is saturated with problems, it is very difficult to quiet the mind and keep negativity at bay. In these cases, it is often helpful to spend a minute in reflection and meditation.
Meditating is an optimal way to learn to deal with problems with more serenity and calm, in fact, many people who perform this practice say they feel a lot of internal peace even in times of storm.
An investigation carried out in 2008 defined meditation as an uncritical state of self-observation. When people meditate, they observe the thoughts, but without thinking.
Also, they examine feelings, without getting involved in them and contemplate any cognitive, sensory, emotional, physiological or behavioral content, but passively.
In this way, with this therapy it is possible to think more clearly. You can meditate daily if you want, in fact, meditation can be done in 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes. Everything will depend on the time that each person wants to dedicate to it.
2. Stop complaining to quiet the mind
Complaining is necessary, but doing it all the time and not looking for solutions is harmful and ultimately does not help quiet the mind. Likewise, complaining and seeing reality as a kind of gloomy landscape, with nothing positive, is, at least, harmful.
Sometimes the lack of optimism is the result of the way of seeing reality. Thinking about how everything around you is perceived (without adding seasonings) can help to find the source of discomfort, stress or depression, to some extent.
Instead of seeking refuge in complaints and staying in that false comfort zone, it could help to take difficulties as a challenge and find the means to give it a good outcome and solution. When going through bitter and difficult times, adopting the best attitude can be the biggest step to change.
3. Express yourself creatively
Exploring emotions through creativity is one of the best therapies to clear and quiet the mind. Creativity is always there to provide well-being. This helps to process emotions, to break routines and to understand the situations that one goes through.
Some ways to express yourself through creativity and quiet the mind can be the following:
- Coloring mandalas.
- Listen to a guided meditation.
- Stretch for the whole body for at least 15-20 minutes.
- Do dance therapy or some other physical activity that is fun.
- Go for a walk to a different place and take pictures of the landscape.
- Write on a loose leaf everything you feel, what you think, in as much detail as possible.
- Read a new, attention-grabbing book that helps refresh and distract the mind.
- Take a warm shower and sing a song that you really like.
- Do an activity that you have always wanted to do, for example: yoga outdoors.
4. Make a list of things that are worthwhile
Routine and stress can put the pleasures of life aside. Therefore, it is necessary to learn to stop for a moment and make a list (physical or mental, as you prefer) of everything that is worthwhile. This list can be made up of anything that we consider worthwhile: the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the warmth of a hot drink on a cold day, the blue sky, the chirping of birds in the morning, the embrace of a loved one, the touch of the shower water falling on the body, etc.
Making these types of lists -both in moments of tension and in moments of calm- is positive because it helps to be more grateful in life and to find something positive in each circumstance.
5. Walk in the fresh air
The environment has a significant influence on thoughts. For this reason, it is necessary to stand aside from toxic people and environments that are too heavy. To do it quickly and quietly, you can look for a walk outdoors, whether in a park or the countryside.
In this way, when these negative influences are removed, you will have the opportunity to quiet the mind and achieve serenity.
People who walk approximately 10,000 steps a day have better general health and quality of life than those who are sedentary, according to a study conducted at the University of Costa Rica.
To conclude, it is recommended that you follow these simple recommendations and not let negative things take over your life. Doing breathing exercises, looking for relaxation techniques (according to preferences) and dedicating time to yourself is always necessary, not only when “the straw that exceeds the camel’s back” arrives. It is also recommended to consider consulting with a psychology professional if you need help managing negative thoughts and emotions.