Meditation may not be top on everyone’s list, but there is something to be said about the power of finding stillness and being truly present. Temporarily disconnecting to tune into our inner selves offers a sense of peace and serenity. Below is a list of a few ways to add more moments of calm into your day.
Listen to music without lyrics.
Music has the power to change your entire mood. While lyrics can be beautiful and inspiring, so can instrumentals. Listening to music without lyrics may be exactly what you need to allow your mind a break from thinking or listening to spoken words for a little while. You can even search for acoustic or instrumental versions of some of your favorites!
Put on a show about nature for background sound.
It’s nice to have favorite shows to fill the silence sometimes, but it might be additional stimulation you don’t even realize. Likewise, perhaps you live in the city or are just too tired to venture out into nature – putting on a show or video that explores different sceneries without much dialogue can be a really nice change of pace that offers stillness. You can put one on while you’re cooking dinner, relaxing before bed, or anytime you’d usually put on a regular show for background noise.
Go for a walk.
A classic solution that is mentioned all the time, but truly underestimated in its value. Taking even a brief walk allows you to move your body and connect with your surroundings. While walks are not your conventional notion of stillness, they can help ground you, offer mental clarity, calm your worries, and provide you with all the benefits that come with physical activity – like heart health and stronger muscles!
Spend some time stretching.
What better way to connect with your body than spending time stretching and moving in ways that feel refreshing? You can participate in a yoga class or simply find a few stretches you really love. It doesn’t even have to be particularly structured. Choose stretches that feel good for your body, hold them for how ever long feels right, rest quietly in a comfortable position, follow along with an online video. Totally up to you because you’re in charge! Side note: the best time to stretch is after a walk since your muscles will be warmed up (be careful stretching “cold” muscles and always start slowly, gradually easing into new stretches).
Pause notifications on your phone.
It can be exhausting to be always available to the world around you. Taking time at the beginning or end of your day to pause notifications can be a great way to focus your mind on your immediate surroundings and connect with yourself in the present without worry about what’s happening on social media or if you missed a text. Those things will all be waiting for you when you check back in, and taking the time to unwind will actually make you more productive and happy in the long run. If you’re worried about missing an emergency call or message from your friends and loved ones, there are settings you can adjust in your phone to allow messages from certain people to always come through or you can choose to only pause certain applications like social media.
Read an engaging, but light-hearted book.
Reading is more of an active task, but worth mentioning on this list because it can be incredibly relaxing for many. Finding a great story or poetry anthology to sit down with is an amazing way to get lost in a different world for just a little while. Let your mind enjoy all the words, characters, and imagery. Sometimes it’s enough just to take 20 minutes for yourself to do something that makes you happy.
Incorporating more peace and calm into your day is really unique, and up to you to decide what works best for you personally. What are ways you find stillness in your daily life?
