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11 Meditation Tips for Beginners

For those who have never tried meditation, it can seem like an unproductive, strange way to spend twenty or so minutes of your day. However, meditation offers a slew of benefits to anyone on the planet, and it costs nothing to start up a daily practice.

By meditating regularly, you can increase your vibrational energy, or life force, and even retrain your brain to think positively. If you need some help getting started with meditation, refer to these tips for guidance.

11 Meditation Tips for Beginners

1. Don’t get frustrated with your brain.

In the beginning, you will probably have a hard time just sitting quietly, even for five or ten minutes at a time. It takes time to adjust, as meditation is a foreign concept to many people. However, as long as you make a conscious effort to tune out from everything and go within, you will soon find that the restlessness slowly melts away.

2. Start out with five to twenty minutes each day.

Go easy on yourself when you begin a regular meditation practice – remember, slow and steady wins the race. Meditation is a highly personal journey, and you have to go at your own pace. Do what feels comfortable to you; if you only have ten minutes in the morning before work to meditate, that’s ten minutes you spent relaxing your brain and improving your relationship with yourself.

3. Go to a peaceful place to practice.

This could be anywhere you feel most connected to the stillness within you and the universe – your backyard, the beach, your bedroom, or a quiet meadow in the woods. While you can meditate anywhere, some places will resonate with you more than others, so make sure you choose a spot where you can totally let go and experience the true serenity within your soul.

4. View meditation as a tool to help you grow, not as a chore.

If you look at meditation as just something to knock off your to-do list, you won’t get to experience the full range of benefits that meditation provides. Try to not set aside times to meditate, and instead choose to practice when you really feel like it. Meditate at times when your soul truly longs for it, so that it becomes a method of spiritual growth, and not just a task you need to get done each day.

5. There’s no “right” way to meditate.

A lot of people give up their practice because they can’t completely quiet their mind, they get bored, or they don’t see the benefits of meditation right away. Just because you haven’t reached a state of pure nirvana yet, doesn’t mean that you should judge your personal journey with spirituality. Don’t compare yourself to others or obsess about getting things just right; instead, focus on letting the universal energy flow through you, and give yourself praise after every meditation session.

meditation

6. Focus on your breathing.

The breath represents your life force and connects all of us on Earth. Through our breath, we can channel higher energy and enter a totally new state of being. Take long, deep breaths all the way down into your belly, and picture each breath going deeper within you, healing your entire body. Breathing forms the cornerstone of successful meditation practice. Furthermore, it will help you increase your focus and awareness of your thoughts.

meditation - breathing

7. Don’t label your thoughts as “good” or “bad.”

Let the thoughts enter your brain, but avoid attaching them to labels. Just let them move freely through your mind, observe them, and let them pass. Assigning labels to anything causes our brain to form judgments, and therefore deeply engrains certain thoughts and feelings within us about that label. Learn to just observe everything in your inner and outer world as if you had come from another planet and had no idea what “good” or “bad” even looked like.

8. Create a meditation friendly environment.

If you practice in your room, you can light candles or incense, put on calming music, or rub your favorite essential oils on your skin to help you transition into a peaceful state of mind. Make your surroundings work for you, and add to them if necessary. If you go outside to meditate, you can still bring crystals or whatever is symbolic to you to guide you into relaxation.

9. Remove any distractions.

In just the same way as you can add tranquility into your environment, you can also remove anything that hinders your practice. Get rid of your phone, computer, or other electronic devices if they impair your connection to source energy. Remove any other stressors from your room, such as to-do lists, bills you have to pay, or schoolwork you need to get done. You can come back to those any time after your meditation practice but just focus on clearing your space so you can get the most out of what you’re doing in the present moment – meditating.

removing any distraction

10. Try different forms of meditation.

Not everyone enjoys just sitting in lotus pose, and believe it or not, you can meditate in many other ways. Yoga is also a form of meditation. This practice involves holding certain poses and flowing through different movements to achieve mind-body-soul unity. You can also engage in “walking meditation,” in which you fully focus on the act of walking, and helps you develop mindfulness. You can test out different styles, or combine them, to find one that relaxes you the most.

11. Check out guided meditation videos.

You can find many of these videos on YouTube, or even popular yoga websites where teachers help you adjust to regular meditation practice. It can be difficult in the beginning to silence your mind, so having someone guide you through the process can make it easier. While you don’t need a teacher to meditate, others can offer you advice and techniques to help you get started on the right foot.

yoga and meditation

Final Thoughts on Trying Meditation

Join the discussion: What meditation tips can you share with beginners?  Share in the conversation below! Or, head over to Facebook to join the discussion.

5 Ways Spirituality Can Enhance a Relationship

Are you exploring your spirituality with your partner?

Most of us believe in some “Higher Power” greater than ourselves; call it God, Mother Earth, the Universe, Nature, Energy or something else. We see this tremendously complex, massive and elaborate place called Earth and often contemplate our role within it.

As we continue through our lives, the desire to live a spiritual existence often follows. Of course, we each may follow different spiritual paths. However, most of us pray, worship, and choose to believe in some transcendentally higher purpose. And this can certainly impact our relationships. In fact, we often desire to share these spiritual elements of our lives with our significant other.

There are numerous dynamics in our relationships. But spirituality does seem to play a primary role for many couples. The reasons for spiritual connectedness differ, but one common element is the thinking that it may empower and sustain the relationship itself. This makes sense, as often we associate spirituality with feelings of peace, harmony, love, and presence. Each of these are elements that are often missing from intimate relationships.

Many of us do, in fact, choose to pursue our spiritual journey with a beloved someone. Research shows that those who do seemingly experience an enhanced quality of life. Indeed, the benefits of many spiritually connected couples include economic success, a longer lifespan, better physical health, and a more stable, productive environment for children.

But why is belief a stabilizing factor in relationships? Is there something to the notion that a “family that prays together, stays together”?

“Spiritual relationship is far more precious than physical. Physical relationship divorced from spiritual is body without soul.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Here are 5 ways spirituality can enhance a relationship…

1. Spiritual connectedness increases happiness

Those who share similar spiritual beliefs often have longer relationships. In what is considered to be the first significant study associated with relationship and belief across ethnic lines, researchers concluded that a definitive link exists between a couple’s belief and the satisfaction derived from a relationship.

Researchers found that about 40 percent of African-Americans, 29 percent of whites, and 29 percent of Hispanics attended religious services with their significant other on a regular basis.

On the other hand, white couples have been recorded as having more satisfying relationships outside of the study. However, this gap narrows when taking into account religious or spiritual connection. In other words, non-whites that share a spiritual connection often have deeper relationships than Caucasians.

Bradford Wilcox, co-author and director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, states: “What this study suggests is that religion is one of the key factors narrowing the racial divide in relationship quality in the United States.”

2. Spiritual couples are (emotionally) healthier

In a Columbia University study, spiritual or religious practices often thicken the brain region associated with counteracting depression.

In a study published by JAMA Psychiatry, 103 adults were questioned in regard to their religious or spiritual practices. Interestingly, those that valued their practices highly displayed a thicker area in the part of the brain that offsets depressive symptoms.

According to Lisa Miller, professor, and director of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University: “The new study links this extremely large protective benefit of spirituality or religion to previous studies which identified large expanses of the cortical thinning in specific regions of the brain…at risk for major depression.”

Spirituality in relationship

Taking into account that depression is one of the major causes of divorce, the results of this study are immensely important. The devoted are apparently better equipped biologically to counteract the precursors of depression, which can have a positive impact on the emotional satisfaction one derives from their relationship.

3. Prayer increases commitment

Prayer seemingly increases commitment for each other. In a Journal of Family Psychology study, Partner-focused petitionary prayer (PFPP) – an aspect of prayer where one partner devotes time praying for the other – shows an increase in levels of commitment and relationship satisfaction.

The participant groups – 316 college students and 205 married, African-American couples – demonstrated similar results in relationship commitment and satisfaction. The couples also reported feeling more confident in the stability of their relationship.

“Together the studies suggest the continued investigation of PFPP as a potentially important vehicle for enhancing relationship outcomes,” the study concluded.

4. Spirituality = Kindness

People often use acts of kindness as a benchmark for how effective spiritual and religious practices are. This is fair, considering that many “religious” or “spiritual” people are far from what is generally considered “kind.”

The same can be said for how people measure the effectiveness of spiritual or religious practice within a relationship. Do these practices make a difference in how couples treat one another? Research says “yes.”

In the Journal of Family Psychology, researchers tested 164 married couples who were about to have their first child–a very stressful event–to see if proclaimed spirituality specifically impacted (non-anecdotal) the relationship.

Interactions between the couples were recorded on four occasions: during late pregnancy stages, and the baby’s age at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. The couples rated both their own and their partner’s spiritually intimate behaviors during these times. In addition, each gave their viewpoint on the sanctity of their marriage.

After they analyzed both the behaviors and ratings of each couple, researchers noted positive behaviors such as mutual problem solving, asking for the other person’s point of view, affection, and shared humor.

“Spiritual intimacy is very, very important and undeniably a construct that matters,” says Dr. Annette Mahoney, a psychology professor at Bowling Green State University and the study’s lead author.

5. Spirituality relieves stress

Stress, in varying degrees, plays a role in each of our lives – work, kids, finances, family obligations, etc. According to the Mayo Clinic, spirituality helps to relieve these stressors in a few different ways, specifically by helping you:

– Connect with yourself and the world.

– Expand your support network.

– Feel a sense of purpose.

– Have a healthier life.

– Release control.

You’ll notice that each of these plays a direct role in our relationships. Health, connectedness, purpose, control, and support are all applicable in how healthy (or unhealthy) your relationships are.

More importantly, in relieving stress through spiritual or religious practices, you diminish the likelihood that stress will negatively impact your relationship. Spirituality does this by nurturing your relationship and creating a deeper understanding and appreciation of your loved one.

Join the discussion: Has spirituality enhanced your relationship?  Add your story in the conversation below!

 

Seattle Seahawks QB Uses Power of Positivity to Prepare for Super Bowl

The Super Bowl – the annual championship game of the National Football League – is considered the preeminent sports event of the year. The pageantry of the event goes far beyond just the game. Superstar performances at halftime, millions of dollars spent on 30-second television commercials, and celebrity appearances are all hallmarks of the extravaganza. Last year, an estimated 169 million people watched as the Seattle Seahawks blew out the Denver Broncos 43-8 to win Super Bowl 47. One player instrumental to the Seattle’s incredible performance was Russell Wilson, the 3rd year star quarterback. Wilson completed 72% of his passes for 206 years and 2 touchdowns.

Wilson’s achievements go far beyond being a Super Bowl champion

The 26-year old is a 2-time Pro Bowl selection, 2-time NFC champion, and was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2012. One award that often goes unnoticed is his 2014 Pro Football Writers Association ‘Good Guy’ Award, given to one NFL player “for his qualities and professional style in helping pro football writers do their jobs.”

Of course, Wilson has been helping people do their jobs for years, namely his teammates. In addition to being an outstanding and inspired leader on the field, he’s also an outstanding person once off the turf. Much of this can be traced to his upbringing as a child…and his genetics.

Wilson’s father, Harrison Wilson III, was a Dartmouth alum and lawyer, perhaps explaining his son’s cerebral approach to the game. He was also a strict disciplinarian that taught Russell the importance of hard work and dedication, perhaps explaining his son’s tireless work ethic and commitment on the field. Wilson attributes much of his success to his father, and it is easy to see why. Then there’s his uncharacteristically positive image off of the field.

“My husband always told the boys if there’s any kind of business situation, wear a suit and wear a tie,” says Russell’s mother, Tammy, “That’s why Russell is very adamant about taking a shower and being well groomed after a game before he does his press conference.” This likely explains Wilson’s utmost professionalism and thoughtful demeanor.

Sure, anyone can be successful when their thoughtful, intelligent, disciplined, and hard-working. But what about when the going gets tough… really tough? Can that positive, enthusiastic disposition possibly be evident in such a situation?

Fast forward to the 2014 NFC Championship game… with his team trailing 19-7 against the Green Bay Packers, Wilson threw his fourth interception of the game. By all accounts, this was possibly the young star’s worst game of his career. The game was all but over at this point, with many fans heading to the stadium’s exits and Seahawk’s players looking dejected, many of them with faces buried in gloved hands …and then there was Russell Wilson.

“I truly believe in positive synergy, that your positive mindset gives you a more hopeful outlook, and believe that you can do something great means you will do something great.” – Russell Wilson

“Hey! We can still win this game!” “We can win this game. We can win this game! Stay in it! We can still win this game!” Even if nobody in particular was listening (or believing) to what their quarterback was proclaiming, Wilson believed. And that’s all that ended up mattering.

There was the heads-up touchdown pass to running back Marshawn Lynch. Then he ran one in for a touchdown. Then he scrambled on a seemingly impossible play and completed a pass to the opposite side of the field for a 2-point conversion. This was before he threw two long, perfectly thrown balls to win the game in overtime. Final score: Seahawks 28, Packers 22.

Make no mistake about it – Russell Wilson has some incredible physical talent. He is also one of the most mentally tough (and smartest) football players in the game today. However, this is not what makes Russell Wilson truly great – it’s his attitude – his positive, energetic, enthusiastic mentality that seemingly takes over football games. Wilson believes in himself, but he also believes that positive thinking can make others believe in themselves.

Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks head coach: “I think that he’s very, very special. I don’t know how he could play at the level he plays at and have the expectations and be able to live up to those expectations in the most challenging times without having a tremendous mind.”

Mark Rodgers, Wilson’s agent: “The (Packers game) wasn’t half-empty, it was totally empty for a drop at the bottom of the glass…and to stay positive and stay focused, that (he) would change the game. He was on the sidelines preparing his teammates for that moment and they could’ve been down on themselves, but instead Russell was thinking about what was going to win the game, and now how they were going to lose.”

This relentlessly positive mentality has allowed Wilson to work harder, achieve more, and to become the truly special player and person that he is today. The fact that he may win a 2nd Super Bowl trophy in just his 3rd year in the league is attributed almost solely to his outstanding, undefeatable, and positive mindset.

Final Thoughts on Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks

Wilson will lead his team onto the field Sunday to battle the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 48. The debate has raged on who will win that game, with the Seahawks being the slight favorites. One thing that is not being debated: that the Patriots had better keep a close eye on #3, no matter the score.

7 Ways to Find Your Flow and Flourish

Contrary to what you hear on the mainstream news these days, life isn’t meant to be a constant tooth-and-nail fight to the finish. Humans came here to thrive, not struggle. If we tap into the right energy, we will get swept up by the natural flow of the universal and discover that life seems so simple once we stop resisting.

If you feel unhappy or confused about life, consider the following strategies for learning how to “find your flow” and tap into your own personal superpowers!

7 Ways to Find Your Flow and Flourish:

1. Visualize what you want your life to look like.

Before anything begins to manifest in the physical realm, you must first envision what your dream life would consist of. The idea that the reality we see every day begins as vibrational energy held at the same frequency for an extended period of time before it exists physically has been coined “The Law of Attraction.” This elusive concept seems foreign to many people, but it becomes easier to understand if you break it down in laymen’s terms.

Basically, what you repeatedly think becomes what you repeatedly do, and all of this determines what reality you see every day. To live a life you really want, you must align your thoughts and actions with the reality you seek. The energy you put out into the world comes back to you, so make sure you pay attention to your thoughts; you’re subconsciously creating your reality at this very moment with your mind!

2. Buy a vision board and write down your goals.

Ask yourself these five questions:

  • What do I want to do with my life?
  • Can I identify my unique talents?
  • What makes me happy?
  • How can I get from where I am now to where I want to be?
  • How much money do I need to live how I want to?

vision board

Write down your answers to these questions, and keep the board somewhere clearly visible to you. In particular, pay attention to your answer to #4. Your response to this will determine the answers to all of the other questions because where you want to be likely includes more money, happiness, and a fulfilling career already.

Now, you just need to create actionable goals with a clear timeline, work on your goals every day, and see your life vision transform into manifestation!

3. Follow the lead of the Universe

In the book “Into the Wind” by Jake Ducey, he travels the world with $8,000 and no plan other than to follow the flow, help others, and find himself. He accomplished all three of these things, but he allowed himself to be carried by the powerful jet stream of the universe and didn’t ever doubt where it was taking him or what plans it had for him in the future. He surrendered to the natural order of the world and tested the power of the human spirit in the process. You can do exactly what he did in your own special way, but you must believe that you came here for a purpose.

follow the flow

The source-of-all, Spirit, God, or whatever you prefer to call it, can co-create your reality if you choose to open yourself up to infinite possibilities.

4. Limit your technology use.

Phones and computers offer great resources for learning new concepts, but spending time without it will help your creativity flourish. Technology tends to stifle inner growth because it becomes addicting after a while, and takes away our power to think and create independently. Think about it – how many times do you check emails, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter each day? Probably more than you can count, if you’re like most people.

limit your technology use

Instead of mindlessly scrolling through the social networks, use that time to cultivate your passions and work on yourself. Your life will become much more meaningful and gratifying to you once you dig deep and use your passions to create a life you truly love.

5. Get your creative juices flowing.

If you want to become an active creator in your life, rather than just a spectator, you will have to use your imagination to get things started. It might seem a little strange at first to use your creative energy, because our world runs on mostly left-brained, linear thinking. However, find an activity you enjoy that makes you come alive with boundless inventive energy, such as yoga, writing, painting, dancing, rock-climbing, or anything else you can think of. Just immerse yourself in some sort of activity that requires more doing rather than thinking. Too much thinking encourages stagnation, whereas doing inspires new ideas through movement.

find your flow

6. Give your mind and body adequate rest.

Working on your life requires a lot of energy, especially in the beginning, so make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night so you can recharge your batteries. Finding your flow has just as much to do with proper self-care as it does with setting intentions and taking action.

For example, you could tune up your car and install the highest-powered engine in the world, but if you run your car into the ground, the engine does no good. Your body and mind need some R&R if you want them to run optimally and help you in your quest to become your best self.

7. Try things you thought you couldn’t do.

Take a speaking class, go skydiving, talk to strangers, attempt to stand on your head, or try eating totally raw foods for a week. Do things you previously thought were impossible, and make them possible. You will grow your confidence exponentially by getting uncomfortable often, and it will help you evolve creatively as well. You will begin to see the full spectrum of your potential, and develop the “yes” mentality about life that the universe has wanted you to have all along!

8 Ways to Stop the Silly Things from Stealing Your Happiness

Do you feel like happiness eludes you? Are you known as a chronic worrywart among your friends and family, who always makes fun of you for thinking of the worst-case scenario?

Maybe people know you as having a short fuse because you get angry easily. All of us have certain dispositions that drive our overarching behaviors and feelings, but those inherent personality traits don’t have to rule our entire lives.

A lot of people sweat the small stuff because they have simply picked up bad habits, or let the negative energy of the world get inside of them. However, overreacting or feeding off of negativity becomes taxing on our minds and bodies, and can even lead to chronic stress, heart attacks, and other health problems. If you want to stop letting little things affect your happiness, start by following these simple tips.

8 Ways to Stop the Silly Things from Stealing Your Happiness:

1. Don’t make a problem bigger than it really is.

So, the barista at your favorite coffee shop made a hazelnut latte instead of white chocolate mocha. Does that mean your whole day is ruined? Of course not. People make mistakes sometimes; they wouldn’t be human if they didn’t. Instead of overreacting, just point it out to him or her and say you understand – you could even make a joke about it to lighten the mood.

Remember, this whole human experience naturally comes with imperfections and disorder, because life is simply an experiment. We all came here to learn and grow, and that involves failing, making mistakes, and adjusting to whatever happens.

2. Take your mind away from the problem.

Any time something happens that could adversely affect your mood, immediately do something else to take your mind off of it. This might seem irresponsible, but it actually shows great accountability for your own well-being. It means you will come back to the issue later when it seems stale and less serious.

Put on some happy music and dance around your house, even for just a few minutes. Then, come back to the problem and see if you feel the same way about it that you did before. Chances are, everything will seem way less serious, and you will probably find a solution much faster since you have given yourself a chance to cool off and regroup.

3. Remember that life is fleeting.

Do you really want to spend the majority of your time worrying about trivial matters that steal your joy? Probably not. So, zoom out and look at the bigger picture. We only have a limited amount of time here in these bodies, having this human experience. Why waste it fixating on problems that we create in our heads? Most problems don’t even exist unless we draw our attention to them.

life is fleeting

Remember that bills, money, jobs, possessions, and disagreements are all temporary. Focus on what really matters, and forget about all the distractions that detract from your happiness.

4. Adjust your attitude.

“The problem isn’t the problem, it’s your attitude about the problem.” – Ann Brashares

We assign labels to experiences based on our perceptions of them. For example, if we identify something as “bad,” it becomes a problem, which means we have subconsciously deemed that experience as undesirable. So, if we don’t desire it, why give it any more attention than it deserves?

happiness quotes

Move on from the issue, and look at it as a challenge overcome rather than a lingering annoyance in your life. If you become irritated easily, you need to look within and see what energetic blockages you need to chip away at in order to let more happiness into your life.

5. Eliminate major stressors in your life.

If you have a lot of minor problems in your life, you probably have bigger issues that contribute to these smaller complications. Think of it like a tree: the trunk connects to lots of smaller branches that stem from the biggest part of the tree. The roots give life to the tree itself, giving it support to grow. In just the same way, your thoughts represent seeds, and the quality of seeds you plant determines how the tree (actions) will manifest in your life. If you have a lot of happiness in your life, the trunk of the tree symbolizes the greatest source of your fulfillment, and this joy results in other, smaller opportunities for happiness to arise.

stress in life

If you have a cloud of darkness over your head, however, you need to figure out the predominant stressor, or problem, in your life, and come up with ways to solve it. This way, you can eliminate the smaller issues as well, and allow thriving trees (situations) into your life instead.

6. Simplify your life.

Maybe you have a lot of obligations, too much stuff cluttering your space, or complicated love life. Whatever the case might be, try to live as simply as you can. Whittle down your commitments and daily to-do list until it becomes more manageable. Get rid of extra possessions that you don’t use any more, and keep relationships in your life that serve your best interest. Leading a simple life eradicates the breeding grounds for silly problems.

happiness - simplify your life

7. Talk about the problems with someone.

Maybe these small issues have been ongoing for quite some time, and you need someone else’s point of view to put things into perspective. Even if you feel like these problems don’t warrant getting another person involved, sometimes we just need to vent so we can clear our heads and move on from the situation. Talking about what bothers you with others can give you support and help you regain clarity in times of distress.

8. Help someone with bigger problems than you.

Offering our hearts and hands to those less fortunate can easily snap us back into reality once we see the incredible challenges others face just to make it through the day. Volunteer your time to help those who need food, shelter, or water, and that will quickly dissolve any problems you thought you had. As a society, we complain about inconsequential problems right and left, but some people struggle just to survive each day. Try to alleviate problems for other people, and yours won’t seem so serious anymore.

Join the discussion: How do you avoid letting the trivial stressors of life take your happiness?  Share in the conversation below!

How to Find Peace of Mind During a Meltdown

No one really enjoys the feared “meltdown” situations – they drain you of vital energy, make you feel out of control, and strip you of any feelings of contentment. Most people know how to recover from a meltdown, or even avoid them…but finding peace of mind during a meltdown? Well, that’s almost unheard of. That’s why we’re going to talk about it here today because you can actually find peace even in times of extreme anguish. Here are a few things to keep in mind during one of those “nuclear situations”:

3 Ways to Regain Peace of Mind During a Meltdown

1 – Give Into Your Feelings

Wait, isn’t that counterproductive? I know it seems like the exact opposite of what you should do, but fighting your feelings will only make the situation spiral even further out of control. Sometimes, you just need to let out all the emotions you have bottled up inside of you, and accept the moment as it is.

Society pushes us to always keep our composure no matter what, never fall down, and, heaven forbid, never show any human emotions because it makes us weak. However, going through a very difficult time emotionally will make you stronger in the end. Showing emotions doesn’t make you any less of a person; it actually makes you a person. Part of this human experience means accepting that sometimes, life may seem incredibly overwhelming and scary. Instead of beating yourself up about how you feel and trying to stuff your emotions back down where they came from, just let them out and accept them.

You could even go a step further and celebrate them. Hold on…why would a breakdown be a cause for celebration? Because it means you have felt the highest joy at one point in your life to even be able to acknowledge feelings of despair and pain. Almost every self-help book you read, whether by Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, or Deepak Chopra, will tell you that the key to overcoming your feelings is just to simply accept them. The more you fight them, the farther down the hole you will fall. Resistance causes suffering, plain and simple. Once you accept how you feel in the present moment and allow the emotions to move through you, you will find the most overwhelming sense of serenity.

2 – Talk About Your Feelings

We live in a highly automated society that seems to focus on productivity and perfection, but our feelings often get pushed to the wayside. People expect you to deal with your emotions on your own, and quickly get back to your “human duties.” Feelings seem to be losing popularity in favor of facts, performance, and results. However, as long as we’re human, we will have a heart, a brain, and therefore…feelings.

You can’t hide them or pretend they don’t exist, so you may as well talk about them with someone you trust and who cares about you. No one can handle everything on their own, and you shouldn’t be expected to. If you feel that the walls are closing in on you and you can’t find the way out, reach out to a close friend or loved one who can sit and listen to what you’ve been going through.

negative feelings

When you release all those pent up emotions, you will immediately feel liberated, lighter, and much better than before. Don’t ever feel ashamed by asking for help – most people love when others come to them for advice or support because it makes them feel needed and important. Everybody needs somebody sometimes, and a breakdown definitely counts as one of those times to lean on those who care about you.

3 – Travel and Put on Relaxing Music

After you have calmed down a bit, get in your car, on your bike, or head out on foot and just travel for a little while. You can put on your favorite music, enjoy a change of scenery, and have some time to yourself. If you have been under a lot of stress lately, getting out of the house can help for a few reasons:

For one, traveling means you have to concentrate on the journey and all of your surroundings, which means it will help get your mind off of whatever you’ve been dealing with. Also, maybe you just want to be alone for a while; maybe dealing with other people just exacerbates the situation. Usually, during a mental breakdown, people need to be left alone for a while to process their feelings and pray, meditate, or just try to relax.

music for peace of mind

Going for a trip to the countryside or maybe to your favorite local park will allow you to recuperate and hopefully resolve any underlying problems. Being surrounded by nature always seems to put things into perspective and mend the soul – coupled with music that sort of zones you out from all the problems in the world, this can act as a powerful natural therapy.

4 – (Bonus) Connect with your creator

Last but not least, one of the absolute most powerful ways to find mindfulness during a meltdown is to connect with the tranquil spirit that resides within you. Take three deep breaths, close your eyes, and simply ask your spirit for its tranquility to assist you through these trying times.  You’ll be surprised at the rapid response and the soothing energy that flows throughout your mind and body.  Never forget that divine assistance always stands at the ready – if you merely ask.

peace of mindFinal Thoughts on Regaining Peace of Mind Post-Meltdown

Anytime you have a mental/emotional/spiritual breakdown, it can feel like the whole world is crashing down around you. Let the waves of feelings wash over you, and remember not to resist them. Ride out the storm and wait for the sun to come out again because darkness doesn’t last forever.

In time, you will regain your peace of mind.

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