My favorite part of the day is the couple of quiet minutes upon waking up before starting the day. The early morning sun spills through the bedroom windows and all of man’s world is silent thus allowing me to hear the sound of nature. It’s a much needed peaceful moment that allows me to take a breath, savoring the stillness before the chaos of the day begins.
In that quiet moment, I lay as still as possible, so as not to alert my pets that I’m awake, and just listen and meditate, relishing the cleansing vibes that come from such practices. I find that this is a necessary part of my life, and when I don’t get it, I feel rushed and on edge for the majority of the day.
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In a world that thrives on motion and 24/7 insanity, it is important that we carve out a quiet moment for ourselves, no matter how small that moment may be.
I remember when my kids were little, sometimes I would just go sit on the bathroom floor with the door closed. I just needed a minute or two to close my eyes, breathe, and regroup. Later, when I had more luxury in time, I would go for a walk or jog, forgoing the ear-buds in favor of listening to the steady sounds of my own heartbeat and the sounds around me. Some people do yoga or formal meditation, the point is that you disconnect from the world, the noise of it, and just be still.
You don’t need a fancy gym or expensive workout clothes to breathe. Like I said, I lay in bed for a minute or so and just listen. Even at work I have found a way to just pause and breathe in order when the noise becomes overwhelming. I go outside and sit on the curb around the side of the building and just close my eyes for a second – the change of atmosphere and the lack of voices does wonders in calming anxiety! If it’s a time when I can’t break away. I just take a step back, close my eyes, and take a couple of deep breaths – instantly my whole body feels relaxed. It’s like grabbing at all the exploding pieces and pulling them back together again so I can be human once more.
It all begins with a deep inhale and a slow exhale. Then another and another. That’s it. That’s all it takes.
Try it. Find a quiet moment, it doesn’t have to be an hour, sometimes all I get is a couple of minutes, but it is enough.
Whether you’re a busy parent juggling toddlers or a business person juggling deadlines, you can take a minute or two to just be still and listen to the world around you.
ZERO EXCUSES!
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Here are a few things that I have found that have helped me over the years.
Run for God. This is what got me into jogging and I loved it! I had never been a runner until I did this program. It’s similar to Couch to 5K but it has meditative tools included in the form of devotions.
Calm. This is an app that I found and I LOVE it so much that I ended up getting the paid version. It offers bedtime stories (don’t judge until you try it), a daily meditation, breathing techniques, and so much more. I use this several times a week.
Yoga for Beginners. Being short on time is a real thing and thus things like 10minute yoga is a wonderful tool. It allows you to be physical and mindful but within the framework of a busy life.
Adult coloring books, or any coloring book for that matter, is also a wonderful tool to relax with and is oddly satisfying.
There are many more apps, videos, and blogs out there that you can use as a reference and tool, but none of these are a must have. As I said, I find my calm each morning by simply lying in bed and listening to the silence.
→Explore what works for you.
→Notice when you have opportunities.
→And recognize when you need to take a breath.
The results are instant!
Coffee Dribble 