5 Tips for Keeping Yourself Calm and Healthy This Year

If there is one thing we all need in 2021 it’s to introduce calmness into our lives.  Calmness is vital to good health. There is still so much uncertainty in the world so introducing practices to keep you healthy is key. Here are 5 Tips for keeping yourself calm ad healthy this year.

 

Breathing Exercises 

 Breathwork is used by many of the leading athletes all over the world. It is a great tool for bringing energy into your body and also releasing tension at the same time.

One of my favorite techniques is called Fire breathing. Short, sharp in & exhales for 2 minutes followed by a sustained breath-hold for around 30 seconds. It is a great exercise to do in the morning or before I do an activity that requires a lot of focus.

 

Meditation

This may be an obvious suggestion from me, however, I wasn’t always fond of mediation. In fact, the first people who told me about it made it sound very woo-woo which didn’t resonate with me. Then someone who I admired a lot recommended it, explaining how it had helped him achieve his goals, and that’s where my journey started.

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is often misquoted: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change”.

 Meditation may be the gateway to embracing change and help manage the anxiety and stress that global events create – looking at you, COVID19.

Stress, anxiety, and burnout are some of the biggest problems that individuals struggle with, but if we can learn to take a few moments to pause and reset we are likely to be happier, healthier, less stressed, sleep better and as a result perform better.

 

Exercise

 

When life gets busy the first things that we neglect are exercise and meditation.  However, they are instrumental in dealing with stress without burning out. Make sure you take time every day to move your body, even if it is just a 30-minute walk or stretch.

Exercise is important for your body and health.  It’s also vital for your mind and for helping you get a better night’s sleep.

 

Write it down

I am big on journaling and goal setting.  I highly recommend that you begin these practices especially when you are starting to feel more stressed and/ or more out of control.

If you are stressed, try this 4 step exercise.

1. Write down what is stressing you out.
2. Then write down why you think it is stressing you out.
3. The next step is to write down 5 things you are grateful for and why?
4. What are 5 things you would like to change and why?

 

Take a break, then come back to what is stressing you out and what you would like to change and write a number of solutions to your problem. It may take a while to come up with a game plan, but at least you have identified the problem so you know what you are working with.

Sometimes when we get stressed and feel as though we are on a merry-go-round.  It can be hard to identify exactly what is going on. Take a quiet moment, write it down, that’s where journaling comes in.  You may even find talking to a  therapy helpful. Either way, sort out your  issues as they arrive rather than let them fester

 

Gratitude

Even if I am not stressed, I start most days with a walk, deep breathing, meditation, and journaling. Get into the habit of writing down 3-5 things you are grateful for in the morning. It is a great way to set your day upright

 

About The Author

Luk McLeod is a meditation and mindfulness instructor. He is the founder of Soul Alive