June edition / By Camilla / June 1, 2023
Pockets of calm
A minute here and there can make a huge difference if repeated regularly.
Chances are that you don’t need to learn more stress-management techniques, but rather that you need a bit more air in your schedule.
“So, what if, instead of thinking about solving your whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
In my opinion it can be just that easy. Letting your pile of good things grow. Sometimes it is as simple as breaking the loop before it spirals out of control. To create pockets of calm here and there during the day, preventing the stress and busyness of the day to build up.
Breathe into your belly
How about a couple of times during your day you pause and take 3 SLOW ROUNDS OF BELLY BREATHS. Maybe you close your eyes, or you look out through the window letting your eyes rest on a tree, or the sky. Place one (or both) hand(s) on your belly to invite the breath there.
Slow breathing into the belly is an immediate stress reliever as it’s communicating to your brain telling the brain that you are okay, and that it is okay to relax.
How you start your mornings matters
What I do myself, and that I recommend a lot of clients to do, is to look at ones morning routine.
If wanting more calm during the day, it might be a good idea to begin the day that way. Perhaps to start the day with 3-5 minutes of breathing calmly in & out for a count of five.
My personal favorite, is to do one yin yoga pose every morning, in which I can focus on my breath while also giving the fascia of my body some much needed attention. That way, no matter what happens later during the day I have at least started my day tuning into my body & breath.
If you’re not feeling like a morning person, you might prefer to do this in the evening instead, just before bed, inviting the nervous system to come into the ‘rest & digest’ mode.
“YOU CREATE YOUR OWN CALM”
A practice when you need to create your own calm
As our minds are extremely potent devices, it serves us well if we learn to use the mind ‘in our favor’ more often. The subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between an image that we image, and one that is real. So using this little technique actually fools your brain into thinking that you’re actually taking a quick vacation from your daily routines.
‘Go on a mini-vacation’
Remember to put your phone on silent, maybe put a timer so you can fully ‘let go’, not worrying about the time (or falling asleep).
Find a comfortable position, you can sit in a chair, or lay down on the floor, whatever is available to you. Allow your eyes to close, and begin taking deep breaths, in and out through your nose, all the way down into your belly. After a couple of breaths, while you allow yourself to relax, start to imagine that you are at your favorite vacation/nature spot. Vividly see the colors, hear the sounds and feel the emotions that this special place evokes in you. The more ‘real’ you make the image, the better the effect.
After a few minutes let go of the image and slowly return to your present moment.
You might need to practice this a couple of times to ‘get it’. Chances are that you the first few times don’t feel that it ‘works for you’ (at least I know that was the case for me). Nothing ‘special’ will happen, except for a quiet, and calm feeling in your body and brain. Don’t overthink it, just do it.