A restless mind can feel like a real curse with ruminating thoughts, forward and backward thinking, recycling and regurgitating, always planning, rarely being in the moment.
Rafaella Monne who lived to 107 on the island of Sardinia said
“Life is short. Don’t run so fast you miss it”.
I think she embraced every moment and lived a full and present life.
Homeostasis is from the Greek phrase ‘standing still’ and when we reflect on that for a moment we come to understand our body is contantly trying to regulate and be regular, physically and emotionally. It is quite a calming thought in itself!
Sometimes restlessness and busyness comes from trying to escape from something and so we distract ourselves by always doing, planning, pleasure seeking and hedonism.
We can become entrenched in the chattering monkey in our heads blaming, judging, stressing, ruminating and so it go’s on.
You CAN become unstuck and experience the joy that comes from real peace and relaxation. Peace of mind allows you to experience real freedom.
- Practice being still. Take 5 minutes morning and evening to settle with 7/11 breathing. Breath in for 7 out for 11. Put both hands over your heart and practice feeling appreciative, thankful and grateful. An appreciative heart is good medicine. Stop desiring constant entertainment from talking, phones, TV, over the top socializing.
- Find peace within yourself. Decide that rumination is unhealthy and pointless. Write down any thoughts and feelings that have been troubling you and notice how the act of writing itself can bring a sense of freedom.
- Walk daily immersing yourself in the world around you. The air, sounds, the earth beneath your feet. Make this a disciplined time where you are completely out of your head.
- Be grateful for small things. You are rich if you have food on the table, a roof over your head and companionship.
- Acknowledge your feelings and validate them. Sometimes we are like an onion. Layers that have built up over the years that need peeling back to reveal peace and comfort.
