I think it is very, very, very important to quiet the mind when you want to destress yourself.
I quiet my mind several times a day, but formally about three times a day. Crazy? Maybe! I just know that my mind can run on autopilot and create all kinds of unnecessary thoughts that cause unnecessary emotions. When I say 'unnecessary,' I mean thoughts and emotions that are fleeting, negative, and drain me, and that are neither useful nor desirable.
If you know me, really know me, you know that my mood is elevated most of the time, and I know this is because of my ability to take responsibility for my thought, feelings, and actions, which is my attitude.
This is my confidence, which took years to build, and I continue to nurture it by practicing stillness.
Every day, first thing in the morning, some time at lunch, and before I go to bed at night, I do some sort of meditation. I usually take a few deep breaths, relax my body, and then I just focus on my breathing and my heartbeat.
My favorite meditations are deliberately releasing my worry and practicing patience. Meditation is consideration with contemplation.
Deliberately releasing my worry means letting go of it through breathing exercises, and this relaxes my mind.
Patient Mind is a meditation that creates ummm... a patient mind, he he he. I use to do this one all the time, and it gave me the ability to see that I can be patient at any time and anywhere, even in the most irritating circumstances. It is a habit I created to replace the negative (unnecessary) emotions that were my stressful habits in the past.
Do you know anyone who meditates? I do, and the majority of them are happy and consider themselves successful. Successful in that they really enjoy their life. The definition of success is happiness and enjoying life. Many people equate money with success, but if you explore it deeper, we want that money because we think it will bring more happiness; we all just want to be happy, really.
Try meditating to this video, make it a habit, and just watch yourself create happiness, energy, and vitality. But please, please, please don't believe me, try it for yourself.
Have a super duper week and don't forget to have fun and be playful.
Speak soon...
Elizabeth Stanfill
If you feel like you really need to destress yourself, take a look at my How to Destress Book.
