3 Ways to Quiet Your Mind

A quiet mind is able to hear intuition over fear – Yvan Byejee

Find time to quiet your mind.

Nowadays, we are so overscheduled and our days are so packed full of activities that we barely have enough time to sleep. Consider yourself the exception and not the norm, if you have accomplished a sense of balance in this hectic society that we all share. For many reasons, we overextend, overachieve and overstress ourselves to the point of breaking. Taking on too much can not only hurt our body but also stresses the mind. 

I realized my mind was hurting in the Fall of 2018.  It started slowly, headaches and insomnia crept into my life, I had aches and pains in my neck and shoulders and I was super jumpy.  I would overreact to regular everyday noises – the phone ringing, a door squeaking, even someone clapping their hands or laughing – would send me into a fight or flight response. I was overtired, unable to focus and my memory was failing.  For several weeks I made excuses for what was happening, I thought that if I could just get a good night’s sleep or make it to the weekend, my symptoms would disappear. It didn’t happen of course and what started out as seasonal depression evolved into a serious anxiety disorder that I could no longer deny.

I’m sharing these simple changes that can really have a positive impact on your mind and reducing the stress you encounter on a daily basis.

Its up to you!

Practicing Gratitude

It’s so easy to get frustrated when things don’t go your way. From the moment we spill our coffee, lock the keys in the car, and forget our lunch on the kitchen counter, a spiral of negativity results in a downward tailspin. However, we have the choice to stay in a state of discontent and let that dictate the rest of our day, or we can be grateful for the other things in our lives that have gone as planned.

Have you ever noticed that when something great happens, we tend to smile briefly and then move onto the next moment like nothing happened?  However, when something goes wrong, we feel the need to tell everyone and anyone that will listen how bad things are. It’s in those exact moments of unhappiness that we need to focus on what we are grateful for, and it is then and only then that we will pull ourselves out of the negative zone. 

Staying focused on gratitude offers your mind something to smile about, regardless of what’s happening around you. Focusing on people, places, and even things that make you grateful, enables your mind the break it needs from stressors to stay active and healthy.

Nothing is a Choice

Everyone has a busy schedule; that is a known fact. We all have created our schedules to overflow and then complain that we do not have time for ourselves to rest, recharge and reflect on the day. Take a good look at your day or week so you can see what you can remove and what you can delegate to someone else. If you are going to have a healthy mind, you need to take care of it just like you care for your body. You need your mond, body and spirit to align in order to live your best life.

The best tip I can give you for quieting your mind is prioritize self care in schedule. Put it in big red pen on your calendar, text yourself a reminder, and place it on your list of things to do during the week. Make time for family and friends, a visit to the spa for a mani/pedi or massage and partake in activities you enjoy.  Take some deep breaths, find a calm place to meditate and be thankful for the blessings that occur all around you throughout the day.

Breathe…

Taking One Minute

Being in the moment has become a cliché; but if you really take the time and trouble to learn what that truly means for you, then you will learn how to quiet your mind in no time at all. Focus on what you are doing at the exact moment you are doing it. 

In this way, you are focused on the moment at hand and not two days from now when something big might be happening. These are just three helpful tips for quieting your mind.

A great app to get you started is called One Moment Meditation.  You can download it from the Apple or Google Play

Inhale. Exhale.

Violet Buddha

Advertisement

The 24-Hour Mental Health Vacation

“A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.” – Earl Wilson

I know the positive benefits that a night away has on my mental health.  No hubby, no kids, no pets, and a bed all to myself equals a good night’s sleep. Most importantly, the one or two nights of freedom without any responsibility enables me to focus on self care without any interruptions.  I am able to fill my cup and recharge.

Here are 4 vacation suggestions that will help you feel refreshed and restored.

1. The Zen Seeker
2. The Creative
3. The Outdoor Enthusiast
4. The Lover

The Zen Seeker

This 24-hour vacay is the most challenging of the four.  It takes a lot of commitment on your part but will be the most revealing.

• Disconnection
  • Technology break for 24 hours (no TV, Radio, computer or phone)
  • Book a manicure or pedicure – or both!! (yes, guys can do this too, you can thank me later!)
  • Call the local yoga studio and sign up for a free trial – take you first yoga class
  • Go out for dinner and/or brunch with your friends
• Movie Madness
  • Watch 3-4 movies in a row that you have on your wishlist
  • You can do this escape with the hubby or a group of friends
  • Pick a theme is you want – romance, horror, comedy, favorite actor/actress director.
  • Do not answer the front door until the take out guy arrives – this is the only exception…
  • Take note of what you enjoyed about the movie or have a discussion if you are doing the activity with others.
• Ladies of Leisure
  • Get a bunch of you girlfriends together and hunker down at someones house or rent an air B&B for the weekend.
  • Your goal is to do some or all of the following:
    • Stay up late talking, reminiscing and joking around
    • Eat your favorite candy
    • Sleep in
    • Shop til you drop
    • Enjoy great food – Plan a menu or pot luck that everyone can contribute to
    • Connect with your tribe!
• Bookworm
  • Grab a book you’ve been wanting to read – read it without interruption from cover to cover.
  • Find a great place to read – the park, a local garden, poolside or cozied up with your favorite blanket.
  • If you want a connection and ability to discuss the books you are reading, check out online book clubs or set one up with your book loving friends or coworkers!

The Creative

• Dancer, Dance, Dance
  • If you don’t like a late night but still love dancing with the girls, then invite your besties over and get dressed, do hair and makeup and much on some great appetizers with a glass of your favorite cocktail.  If you prefer a mocktail – try this one (LINK)
  • Hit your favorite club and dance until your tootsies hurt
  • Sleep in the next morning and spend the day in your PJs recuperating.
• Beautiful Artiste
  • Visit a local gallery, take time with each painting and absorb the creativity required for each piece of art.
  • On you way home, visit an art supply store and choose an inspiration project to paint, sculpt or draw
  • If you have kids, then include them in the art project and display everyone’s work at the end of the day.
• The Foodie
  • Sign up for a cooking course and learn some new culinary skills.
  • Explore the local outdoor market and treat yourself to a new ingredient, fruit or delicacy.
  • If you prefer to consume more than create, enjoy Breakfast, lunch and dinner in a new city.  Do you research, read some foodie reviews and let your appetite me your guide.

The Adventure Seeker

• Explore your own city
  • Visit your own backyard with fresh eyes – Make a list of places or activities that you have not visited in the city where you live.
  • Attend local events or festivals
  • Visit the museum, aquarium or walk the canal
• Learn something new
  • Whether its a single day course or over a few weeks explore:
    • Skydiving
    • Water Skiing
    • Glass-Blowing
    • Pottery
    • Horseback riding
    • Rock climbing
  • Immerse yourself in the pursuit of your new skills as you made need a change more than some extra rest.
• Into the wilderness
  • Grab a tent, sleeping bag and enough food for 24 hours and find the nearest campground to explore. (if you are not a camper, many locations have cottages or teepees you can rent)
  • If you forget to pack something, no worries, you can do without for 1 day!
  • Hike during the day, float in the lake, cook over the fire and soak up the stars in the nighttime sky.
  • Breathe in the fresh air and nature sounds.

Share your favorite mini vacation spot or getaway idea in the comments below and inspire the Tribe.

Share a pic to Instagram at #violetbuddhatribe

Inhale. Exhale.

Violet Buddha

Zen Your Way to Work

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.  If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. – Steve Jobs

Getting up and going to work can be a real challenge. When you are returning to work after an extended leave or illness, it can be overwhelming but it doesn’t behave to be! There are small changes or additions that you can incorporate into your routine that will help keep you in a positive mindset and create a comfortable work space when you arrive at your desk.

One day at a time…

Below is a list of zen ideas to help you transition back into the office:

1. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual – allow yourself time to press the snooze button, ease your feet to the floor and lift your head off the pillow.
2. Take time to sip your favorite morning drink. Whether it’s a cup of hot water with lemon, a fruit smoothie or a steaming cup of coffee, let that first sip be a moment of self care for the day.
3. Dress the part – keep the goal in mind. Of course there are days that I wear my jeans to work with a nice top but for the most part I dress like a boss. The key to incorporating some zen into your wardrobe is picking out the articles or accessories that make you feel good. Wear a comfy pair of colorful shoes, a funny pair of socks, stacks of bracelets or your favorite printed scarf. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual – allow yourself time to press the snooze button, ease your feet to the floor and lift your head off the pillow.
4. The commute to work can be quite stressful as we need to do drop offs at school and/or daycare, make our way through traffic and various weather conditions. With a little advance planning, you can create a playlist of tunes, download some podcasts or listen to audio books to shift your focus elsewhere during the commute.
5. Add 1-2 family pictures to your desk area along with a green plant ( or more of you have a green thumb!) occasionally bring in flowers to freshen up your desktop.
6. Keep your work area clean. Remove piles of papers, extra office supplies. Make a point of dusting and wiping down the desktop at least once a week.
7. Get an ergonomics assessment done to ensure you have all the office furniture and supplies you need to be comfortable, productive and efficient.
8. Consider a happy light! If you are in an office with no natural light, a happy light for seasonal depression can be your savior. Even if you have a window office, it can be a great tool for those dark Fall and Winter days that are part of many time zones.
9. Determine if music helps or hinders you. I have never been able to study or work In silence – I need background noise. I have a small radio at my desk to energize me with some tunes to keep me on task.
10. The sense of smell is connected to our emotional center, so adding a scent that evokes pleasant memories can calm your nervous system. My personal favorites are fruit incense stick in grapefruit, lemon and strawberry. Peppermint, cinnamon and rosemary can help with energy and focus. If you share an office and can’t have essential oils or candles, you can make a cup of tea with these ingredients have the benefits.

I hope that some of these ideas will help you while you start your progressive return or restart your daily work routine.

Inhale. Exhale.

Violet Buddha