5 Simple Ways to Slow Down and Make Time for Yourself Everyday
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The world is so busy. It seems like everyone is rushing and/or frustrated. Rushing to get to work, rushing to Friday, rushing to this and that.
This leads to stress and essentially rushing through life.
We learn to be comfortable with not being present in the current moment and next thing you know you think, “ Wow! That day went by fast or that year flew by. How did that happen? “
Its because we become familiar with stress and rushing, not being present.
It’s a love-hate relationship that we have.
It’s because we are sometimes so busy to really appreciate the small things in life.
We become so busy that we don’t enjoy the talk with a family member or the walk outside and forget that the moments we spend watching a movie with family or laughing with friends are the simple things that make life more meaningful and joyful.
If you struggle with being present, slowing down and really taking
Here are 5 simple ways you can intentionally choose to be more present, leading to less stress and anxiety for yourself.
MEDITATE!!!!
I can’t stress this point enough!
When I thought meditation I used to think Tina Turner with a room full of candles chanting.
As you can see meditation didn’t resonate well with me at first.
But boy was I wrong and I have learned that meditation can be very simple. It doesn’t have to be the traditional type of meditation that you think of.
Simply choosing to dedicate 5 or 10 minutes each day just to sit relax to enjoy your surroundings and focus your attention to 1 thing, makes such a huge difference.
There are also other types of meditation practices that you can do such as deep breathing or if you want something more structured they even had meditation apps, I love Headspace.
Head Space will walk you through the meditation process and has different topics you can focus on. I personally like this type of meditation because it is very difficult for me to clear my mind and focus solely on my breathing.
I sometimes felt I was fighting myself more to get rid of thoughts than to actually focus on breathing. This helps to make the process easier.
Exercise
I know, I know. You’re thinking, who has time for that?
Exercise can be anything from taking a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood to a 50-minute vigorous workout at the gym.
Whatever works best for your lifestyle, do it! That 10-minute walk will create wonders for you and creates some space for you take a step back and relax a little.
If you can make that exercise an outdoor activity like walking, jogging, walking the dog, whatever it is, it's a plus(nature+exercise=serenity). Research has shown that spending time outdoors, even 10 minutes can decrease your stress levels.
Journal
Journaling is an opportunity to learn more about yourself and distress.
Writing in my journal for 5 minutes each day helps me to reflect on myself and my emotions while also being an outlet for some me-time.
I have found that writing a gratitude journal each day also improves my overall happiness.
I start each day writing 3 things that I am grateful for. Not only does this get me in a great mood it also helps me really appreciate some things that I would otherwise take for granted.
Semi-Multi Task
Hate traffic? What kind of question is that you think. If you’re like most of us that hate traffic and feel like it’s the biggest waste of time, use that time to do something productive.
If there is a new skill that you want to learn or an inspirational speaker that you admire why don’t you spend that time listening to a podcast or a tutorial for something you want to learn. Or learn a new language or listen to an audiobook.
Instead of spending that time being upset, blowing your horn and tailgating, use that time doing something that you like. Something that uplifts you and makes you happy.
Do something you love!
This goes without saying you deserve to take care of yourself. I know life is busy and you may feel guilty for taking the time out to do something you love when you have so many other responsibilities.
But trust me you are your best self when you take care of yourself.
I’m not saying neglect all of your responsibilities, ditch your job and run away to not worry about it all. I’m saying recognize that you should make time for yourself.
Read a chapter of a book that you like, if you like to cook try that new recipe you’ve been holding off on, watch that episode of your favorite show you like, whatever it is take 30 minutes out the day to do something that inspires you and refuels your energy.
So how will you choose to make time for yourself each day? What are some of the things that you do now that helps you unwind, de-stress and embrace the moment?
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