Nine Ways To Relax Your Mind
Blanking your mind is a mere statement, but in practice it is not possible. What we can do is focus it on a specific and relaxing object, which helps us de-stress. In an age when most of us are going at a fast pace, it is necessary to take time a day to relax your mind and de-stress.
Choose your own way to relax your mind
Getting the mind to relax is merely a practical matter. And, for this, there are different ways to achieve it. With this, we can lower our levels of stress and anxiety. Here are 9 ideas that will help you. You can do it with the one you feel most comfortable with.
1. White wall
We close our eyes and visualize a huge white wall. As long as the mind is focused on recreating its white color, there is no room for more thoughts. In the event that it was difficult to maintain concentration, we can think of a related phrase, such as “I visualize a white wall.”
2. Hands without strength
We close our eyes, put the palms of the hands up and concentrate completely on the hands. We feel how they run out of strength. Meanwhile we can go thinking “the hands are weaker and weaker, they lose strength”.
3. Total concentration on the noise of the breath
Close your eyes, breathe in and breathe out slowly. The mind must be completely concentrated on the noise we make when breathing and the sensation of the entry and exit of the air. The ideal is to focus on the exit and entry of the air just outside the nose, while we breathe abdominally. And it is important not to judge any thoughts that come to mind, but to observe them and let them pass.
There may be times when your mind goes elsewhere, be it problems or activities that we must do that day. When other thoughts appear, we must internally repeat the phrase “I only focus on my breath. ” In this way, we displace all thoughts and return the mind relaxed and focused on the breath.
4. Relaxing music
Sit somewhere comfortable and play soft music, violins, guitar, nature, water, classical music, etc. Each person is different and, for what one can be relaxing, for another it does not have to be. Therefore, look for the sound or music that makes you feel calm.
Close your eyes and immerse yourself in those notes. Imagine that the musical notes take shape and go towards you, enter your mind and body and make you feel at peace. Feel that state of connection with music. It penetrates you and cleanses you of all negativity, leaves you in a state of total relaxation.
5. Exit to nature
Going out to make contact with nature is one of the most relaxing tasks that exist. Contemplate the sea water, waterfalls, green nature, etc. It leaves us in a state of disconnection from problems.
It is always better to see it in the first person, but if it is not possible, viewing images or videos of nature also helps to de-stress the mind. What comes in by sight is highly important. We must not only be careful what we think about, but also what we see.
If we go for a walk in nature, it is very important that we try to be in the present. Walk slowly, breathe slowly and appreciate every detail that our planet offers us: a flower, a tree, a bird, the waves of the sea …
6. Take a bath
Take a relaxing bath in time, with hot water, slow music in the background, beautiful decorations, decorate it your way and enjoy it. Feel how the water caresses your skin, move your hand over the water making noise and focus on the sound of the water. We often take showers as a routine, but it is important from time to time to take enough time to thoroughly enjoy them.
If you do not have time to take a bath or you feel bad because of the water that you can get to waste, then learn to enjoy every shower you take. Feel the water that falls on your head, on your shoulders …
Feel the water as a pure element, which takes away not only physical impurities, but also mental ones. Drag our stress, our anxiety, our worries. Make each shower an internal and external purifying ritual.
7. Play sports
Playing sports is shown to release dopamines and endorphins. At the time of exercise, stress is “burned” and a feeling of “high” is produced. But the relaxing effect appears after doing it.
It is important that we like to do it. To do this, you can find a way to exercise that we like at the same time, and that does not mean doing it as an obligation.
Sport is something very subjective. Some like to run, others the gym, others practice a team game. Find what fits you and turn it into something else in your life. You will feel much better both physically and mentally.
8. Practice your hobbies
Many people, due to the rhythm of life to which they are subjected, put their hobbies aside. The mind relaxes when we are doing something that we like, therefore, we must put into practice what we like. There are hundreds of activities to do and you can always take some time to do it.
From reading, painting a picture, decorating the house, renovating something old, watching a movie, making jewelry, playing cards, singing, playing the guitar, dancing, etc … There are many activities that can relax you, find the one you like and make you forget the problems.
9. Use your imagination
Imagining is free and many times, it is very rewarding. Lie on your back, close your eyes, and create your own mental journey. Imagine that you are radiant with happiness in the place that you like the most, in the company that you want the most, and you can see how much fun you are having.
As it is your own imagined movie where you are the protagonist, do not skimp on fantasizing. It is a way to relax, because the happiness that the mind feels when something real happens is the same as when it receives positive imagination.
To relax your mind, don’t push yourself
Relaxing the mind is a task that is achieved with a lot of practice and patience. If you start to do it and you feel that you are not able to do it, do not despair, it is not necessary to force yourself if you see that you are not ready yet, better leave it for another day without forcing yourself. It is very important to know that hundreds of thoughts will invade us in our first attempts to relax the mind.
We should not be scared, it is completely normal. It is just a sign of how unaccustomed we are to managing our minds.
In the end, after so much practicing, there will come a time that will come out naturally. To start, it is enough to make small attempts, once we are moving forward and getting relaxation, we can include it as a habit, even if it is 15 to 20 minutes a day.
