Hi guys!
Since we as humans tend to get anxious over different things, this week I'm going to talk about a few ways to calm down. For some the source of anxiousness is the future, for some it’s the past, for some it’s both at the same time. Sometimes letting everything - the past and the future - go and focusing on the present is immensely difficult. Maybe we don’t know how or don’t have the time for it or perhaps we think it won’t make such a big difference anyway.
But it does. Focusing on the now, or at the very least attempting to, makes all the difference in the world. At least to me.
These are some ways in which I ”zen out” and try to find some kind of calm in all of the storms. Hopefully they can help you, too.
1 Wake-up light
This one isn’t so much a ”how to zen out right now” - tip, but more of a preventive kind. I got my wake-up light as a Christmas present a year ago and I swear by it. Instead of waking up to a beeping and vibrating alarm from my phone, I wake up to a - more or less - natural sunrise. It helps me start my day in a more soothing way. At first I feared I wouldn’t really wake up on time, but that hasn’t been a problem.
2 Walk it off
Spending a full day running from one place to another or staying inside working makes me feel claustrophobic. The idea of not getting a breath of fresh air in nature - or the city equivalent - kind of frightens me. I might be the only one, but I do feel that need to go for at least a little walk everyday. Not only does it give my body exercise, but it also helps my mind clear itself. A stroll in nature is sometimes exactly what I need on a busy day.
3 Good food
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| A hummus and halloumi sandwich with roasted vegetables. |
There’s something about feeding the body nourishing, healthy foods that just makes me smile with glee. The label ’healthy’ is often misinterpreted as, basically, a salad. Which it certainly can be, but there are loads of other options out there. Pinterest has proven to be a faithful friend in times of recipe needs.
4 Yoga
I’ve been an on/off practitioner of yoga for years. Every time I rediscover it, I wonder how I could’ve ever let it go in the first place. Yoga is said to offer many benefits ranging from help with back pain to boosting the immune system. I personally find it to help me find calmness and to focus on the now. A great way of ”zening out”!
It’s okay if the day is too busy to leave for a class or the positions aren’t familiar, there are for example many yoga videos on Youtube. My personal favorite account is Yoga with Adriene, which I have fallen madly in love with. Her videos are for yogis of all backgrounds, so no need to worry about being too new to the practice!
5 Tea and chocolate
For the longest of times, I have sworn by green tea and chocolate (usually sweetened with something other than white sugar). It’s the ultimate de-stresser. The combo gives energy in many forms: caffeine from the tea and endorphins from the chocolate make a very productive combo. This isn’t so ”zen-y”, if the chocolate consumed is filled with unhealthy fats and sugars, so instead opt for raw chocolate or one that is sweetened with agave, coconut palm sugar or something other than white sugar.
6 Pampering
Let’s face it, pampering is never a bad idea. Taking a bath, putting on a face mask or simply indulging in some beautifully scented shower gel is very soothing. Light up a few candles, put on some music, breathe and let go of anything that is holding you down.
Jenna posted some great ethical pampering tips that should definitely be checked out when planning a pampering session!
Hopefully these will help you be kinder to yourself and, through that, to others. I hope you have a very zen week!
With love,
Emilia
⎮ Soothing Sundays is a series of posts in which I go back to what is really important in a quest to find joy, serenity and a softer way of viewing the world. A new post will be up every Sunday in January. ⎮
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