How do you stay calm, sane and focused when everything around you is in a state of flux? Here are 7 tips to help you keep a cool head.
1 Breathe – Yes, breathe. The act of breathing slowly and deeply helps to relax your body, but also slows down your thinking. Thinking fewer thoughts gives your mind the space it needs to find clarity and calm.
2 Traffic control – That is, the traffic control of your mind. Get into the habit of taking mental breaks for a minute or so, to notice the world around you. This will help you become aware of – and stop – the constant stream of thoughts in your head. It helps to focus on a mental image you associate with peace and calm, or to play some music that soothes you when you take these breaks. The best practice, however, is simply to look around and observe life without overthinking. If done frequently and consciously, this can help you develop the ability to stay present and centred.
3 Self-reflect – Make time to reflect on the experiences of your day. What insights can you draw, what can you appreciate, and where could you realign your behaviour with your values? Self-reflection gives you time to process events and consider how you can grow as a person. This will help you to stay focused on what matters most.
4 Focus – In chaotic situations, other people’s urgencies and agendas can hijack us. We take on those urgencies as our own, and so our sense of peace becomes disturbed. It is important to remember your own priorities, beliefs and values. Consider other people’s perspective, understand their fears, and be sympathetic to their situation, but never at the expense of your own sanity.
5 Stay centred – A tendency most of us share is to feel responsible for fixing chaotic situations by becoming part of them. But chaos can never be resolved if you’re entangled in it. True resolution comes from remaining centred and calm, holding onto your inner peace, and transforming the energy of chaos into balance. When you are internally balanced, you can see the situation from a bird’s-eye view and act on solutions when they arise. The alternative is becoming emotionally tangled in the chaos, making it difficult to find solutions and nearly impossible to act on them.
6 Be flexible – The rigid oak crashes in the storm, but the flexible bamboo survives. Don’t be too fixated on your ideas or preferences. Be flexible. This will allow you to invite newness into the situation, which can lead to something better than what you had planned. So be open to diversity and new perspectives – don’t lose your principles, but understand that there are many ways to be in the world.
7 Hold onto your sense of humour – Laughter really is the best medicine. Don’t take things too seriously, and always try to see the lighter side of life. See your responsibilities not as burdens, but as opportunities to serve with love. Learn to view life with the innocence of a child and respond with the wisdom of a master. Call it an art, or call it a challenge – but ultimately, it’s about embracing the best of each moment and letting go of the worst.
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