Restoring Balance

The holidays are over and you are back in the swing of things again. Are you feeling relaxed and ready to tackle the world? Or is your mantra still “I’m so stressed!”

You didn’t get a breather and life is speeding up rather than slowing down, right?

We are being stretched in a million different directions and rarely feel calm, peaceful and balanced. So what can we do when becoming a hermit isn’t an option?

Try These 3 Tips

1. Declutter Your Mind

When we talk about hoarders, we automatically think of people who collect crap in their homes.

We never consider all the junk we collect in our minds.

I bet there is a lot of stuff in your mind that you don’t need to hold onto. To-do lists. Cringe-inducing memories. Grievances against colleagues/family members/friends/fill-in-the-blank.

To-do lists are the easiest to deal with. Write it down. Once it’s recorded, you don’t need remember it. Et voila! Less clutter in your mind. (I would suggest keeping one to-do list – less stressful than trying to keep track of multiple lists)

As for the bad memories, grievances and resentments that you have stored up? Burn them! (Not literally. I don’t mean set fire to your head. ;))

Write each one down on paper. Pour in all the emotion you are feeling – don’t hold anything back. Then set fire to it (outdoors, in a safe place) and watch it go up flames. It’s gone! You won’t believe how cathartic this is.

Think of this as spring-cleaning for your peace of mind.

2. Step Back and Look At the Bigger Picture

In those moments of stress, worry or rage, take a deep breath and take a mental step back. Then ask yourself, “Is it really that big a deal? Is this life-altering?”

For example, you’re rushing to work because you have a meeting. You are stressed because the traffic/subway/bus isn’t moving and you are going to be late.

Your blood pressure rises and your anger builds and your mood gets blacker.

Been there myself. Not a comfortable feeling. Certainly the opposite of calm and relaxed.

Ask yourself, “In the grand scheme of things, is it really a big deal if I’m late? How important is this to my life overall?”. The answer puts things into perspective quickly.

It doesn’t have to be about being late; it can be about mostly anything. Stepping back and looking at the situation from a broader perspective can help reduce stress and worry and bring you back to calmness.

3. Unplug From Technology

We’ve all heard this. It’s probably the hardest thing for us to do. We all like being connected to our family, friends and community.  We don’t want to miss a thing.

But there is a reason unplugging is touted by many. It makes a huge difference to achieving a little more balance in your life.

Start small. Turn off your phones and devices for a short time and do something that brings you enjoyment or peace. Whether it’s with others (dining with friends, playing with your kids) or solitary (taking a walk or meditating), it doesn’t matter.

Doing something you really enjoy with others puts you wholly in the moment, leaving no room to worry about anything else.

A solitary activity gives you time alone with your thoughts, with no distractions, and allows you to reconnect with yourself.

Both types of activities center you. Doing one thing, and one thing only, is calming as you aren’t stressed out trying to multi-task. And you won’t miss much. That text/tweet/facebook update will wait.

These aren’t earth-shattering tricks. They are simple but effective. Keeping it simple makes them easier to implement. Try them out, you might be surprised how much they help bring you peace, calm and balance and restore your balance.

Do you have any tricks for restoring balance, peace and calm? We would love to hear them – and try them! Post a comment below, on our FaceBook page or on Twitter.