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Best 6 Quick And Easy Ways To Quiet A Racing Mind
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If you have tried to practice meditation, but found it difficult because your mind just simply won’t “be quiet”, don’t feel badly. You are not alone. Many people feel as they are doomed to a life of scrambled thoughts and racing minds because they can’t seem to find the trick that allows them to quiet their thoughts so they can find personal peace.
Meditation is such an important vital activity that can calm stress and make you a more focused person at work. It’s no wonder almost everyone wants to jump on the meditation bandwagon. Studies have shown that meditation can increase your perceptual ability, give you increased job satisfaction, makes you more social and even less aggressive. Practicing meditation can make you feel rejuvenated, refreshed, and give you a new perspective on those “big” problems.
Calming your mind so that you can meditate isn’t an insurmountable problem. All you really need is to follow some helpful tips until you learn how to calm those racing thoughts.
Take a look at the 6 techniques that can help you calm your mind so you can practice meditation.
1. Consider What You See When Your Eyes are Closed
If someone asked you what you saw when you close your eyes, most of us would say “black”. But the truth of the matter is, that what we see when our eyes are closed says a lot about us. Close your eyes and then focus on what you actually see. Chances are good that you don’t really see just black. Is it a mixture of colors? One color? No matter what you are seeing, pay attention to it. This is a great starting place to quiet your thoughts. Just think about one thing, one simple thing, what is it you see when your eyes are closed?
2. Scan the Body
If you think about it, our bodies are very complicated and intricate devices. When you break down the body part by part, it can be pretty interesting. This is a great way to quiet your mind. Start to scan your body, from bottom to top, and think about how each particular part feels. Of course, at first, you laugh at some of the thoughts you come up with (my feet feel stinky) but by the time you reach your midsection, you might be pleasantly surprised at how energized you feel. This calms your mind by shifting your focus from the outside world to the simple things that make up your body.
3. Connect to Nature
If you work or live in the city, staying connected to nature is more important than ever. There is nothing that will make you feel more peaceful than to meditate while sitting close to nature herself. Nature is colorful and just as “happening” as a city, but it is much more calm and connective. Cities are rampant and terribly distracting. For some reason, a few birds twittering is calming but a few people talking is distracting. Focus on how calmly trees sway in a gentle breeze or how ants march along as if to a tune. You will soon find yourself gently in tune as well.
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4. Don’t Forget to Breathe
If you have ever taken a yoga or meditation class, you already know that the first thing they tell you to do is focus on your breathing. There is a reason for this. It’s something every living thing does, without thinking about, day after day. Suddenly, giving attention to your breath is a powerful way to relax both body and mind. Start off with three cycles of breathing. Breath in through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 3, then release your breath through your mouth for a count of 4. Repeat at least 6 times and try to think about nothing else but counting out your breaths. You will be very surprised at how quickly you have become calm and serene.
5. Gratitude Counts
Too many of us inundate our minds with negative thoughts, reveling in the reasons why people should feel sorry for us and all the ways in which we fall short every day, (or how life falls short). When was the last time you counted your blessings? Although this might not be enough to completely quiet your mind, it will shut off that negative incoming tide that often runs on endlessly. Sit down with a pen and paper, and start jotting down every single thing in your life that you are grateful for. No judgements here. No one will read this but you, so start off with things that come easily, such as family and friends, then you might want to move on to your cat, your car, your favorite coffee mug, whatever. Keep in mind all the simple things you have that most people would be grateful for such as your home, your bed, your shoes and your clothes. Although this might not clear all thoughts from your head, it can certainly make your current problems seem much smaller than before.
6. Forget Labels
Do you admire someone who appears to be able to calm their minds and meditate almost at will? You might have labeled this person a “guru” and yourself a “dufus” but labels like this don’t help. Simply because you tried meditating a few times and ended up thinking about your next conference call does not mean you are a complete “dufus” who will never learn how to meditate. Don’t think of yourself as incapable, simply think of yourself as a student.
READ ALSO: Why You Should Meditate Video
Like everything else in this world, meditation is something that must be practiced so that it can be perfected. Experts say that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit, so why not make a commitment to the next 30 days to practice something that has so many benefits?
Don’t give up! With a little practice, you can have the peace of mind, happiness, and increased feelings of compassion that meditation brings.
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