The world that we live in is laced with stress, worry, noise and other factors that can fill our minds with clutter and chaos. Additionally, our minds are often covered in scars of old hurts and traumas, and layered in so much levels of consciousness not even the best of psychoanalysts has ever sorted through it. As a result, we frequently find ourselves functioning on an “autopilot” mode. We forget important dates. Leave the water running or the stove on. Struggling with our words, unable to get our points across.
Look around you. Observe the people in your surroundings. Examine yourself. Most of us are caught up in our heads, distracted by the negative thoughts that we have in our minds. A lot of us are not clear-headed and we lost the connection that we have with ourselves, our environment and others. A cluttered mind disrupts our balance. It can get so jumbled up there that we end up lost and confused.
How do you declutter a mind? It’s not as easy as decluttering your desk or even your home. It’s not as if thoughts are just lying around, waiting for you to pick and straighten them up. Giving your mind a SPA break may seem like a daunting task but there are simple ways that you can do it. Here are some of them:
Breathe!
It sounds so simple but this is a proven way to give your mind a much-needed break. Take a few deep breaths, and then for a few minutes, just focus on your breathing. Concentrate on your breathing as you inhale and exhale. Breathing has a calming effect, especially if you continue to focus on your breath as your mind tries to stray. It also allows other thoughts to just float away.
Keep a journal
If you have a bunch of things clouding your mind, it helps to put your thoughts on paper. Journaling helps you analyze different areas of your life that you may have missed. This analysis might allow you to discover some important things in your mind that you didn’t realize were there, some things that can be eliminated or pursued. Also, reflecting your thoughts on paper is a way of getting them out of your mind.
Get enough sleep
How many hours of sleep do you get at night? The lack of sleep affects your focus and decision-making skills. It is also scientifically proven that not getting enough sleep throws your hormones off balance. As a result, you are susceptible to making impulsive decisions and actions.
Watch less television
Vegging in front of the television may seem relaxing but watching television is actually not good for your mind. TV fills your head with noise, without the redeeming qualities of music, reading or good conversation. Start limiting your TV time and notice as your mind begins to clear.
Get in touch with nature
Going outside and indulging yourself with the beauty of nature is one way of getting chaotic thoughts off your mind. Get physical, too! Take a walk, mow the lawn or go fishing. Spending physical energy declutters the mind, as well. Elements found in nature can be very relaxing like a lake, ocean, river or even just a man-made fountain if nothing else is available. Watching the rain can be calming too.
Go slower
When we are in a hurry, we are also pushing our minds to go at a faster speed. Take everything slowly and calmly. It may seem weird at first but walking, talking, working and driving slower can make a HUGE difference. When you slow down, it’s actually like saying that you are not willing to rush through life even if artificial time and others pressure me. I want to enjoy life at my own pace.
Declutter your surroundings
Have you ever noticed that when you are in a cluttered environment, your mind is also equally cluttered? You may not be aware of it but visual clutter affects your mind too. Take time to organize your surroundings. Clean up your desk, home or even your car. You will notice a difference when your surroundings are tidy and clean.
Get creative
Getting in touch with your creativity allows you to connect with your inner child. As often as possible, explore your imagination. Look for opportunities to get creative. There are plenty of them around you! A few that you might want to try includes: doing puzzles, coloring, drawing, singing, dancing and even cooking! The point of this exercise is to get lost in awe and wonder like you did when you were young. When you achieve that feeling from a certain creative activity, keep doing it!
Determine your priorities
Determining your priorities allows you to stay on track when your mind is cluttered with thoughts. To figure out your top priorities, list down your goals, motivations and relationships that matter most to you. Then, rank them in order of importance to your well-being. These are the things, respectively, that you should spend the most time on. When something comes up that distracts you from your priorities, evaluate with first. Ask yourself if it is worth compromising your priorities for.
LAUGH!
Perhaps you have heard this a thousand times over: laughter is the best medicine. It indeed is! Laughter is scientifically proven as an effective way to beat stress. It eases defensiveness, lightens your emotional burden and lifts stress of your shoulders. It also balances your psyche because laughter is presence. Practice not taking yourself too seriously. Strive to laugh more and always see the funny side of situations, especially the bad ones.
Your mind is where your actions and words come from so be sure to take care of it. Do not give room for clutter and always strive to fill it with positivity. How do you take a SPA break in your mind? I would love to hear from you! If you have problems decluttering your mind of thoughts, there is help in the form of hypnotherapy. Through hypnosis, you can give your mind the break that it needs and teach it to focus and react passively to negative thoughts. Give it a try today at Hypnotherapy Healing. Call 510 253-3549!