Achieve Calm in Your Life: 5 Tips to Get Started

Achieve calm: Calm...it’s not always easy to achieve in today’s world. Many of us feel as if we are crawling out of our skin. Sometimes I see “calm” sitting on top of Mount Kilimanjaro flipping me the bird, laughing at me. I’ve had days where my head is ready to explode like that scene in the movie “Scanners.” It isn’t pretty. Despite our doubts, calm is achievable.

Having said that, there are other ways to achieve calm in your life besides the tried and true methods of meditating, going for a walk, listening to relaxing music, eating a pint of ice cream (kidding!), etc., but what about the less common ways of doing it?

If you want to break the mold (I love breaking molds), consider the following suggestions to add to your arsenal and achieve calm in your life.


Achieve Calm: 5 Tips to Get Started:

1. Put your Phone on Silent 

Or even better, airplane mode. Or even better than that, shut it off for a bit. You may need to rely on carrier pigeons to deliver messages but they’re still reliable in today’s world – like fire and the wheel. I don’t know about you, but I breathe a sigh of relief when I shut off my phone.

I feel disconnected from the BS of today’s world – the unrelenting advertising diarrhea, the news, the social media, the really crappy music of today. You get the picture. Getting back to watching the news, consider “fasting” from the toxicity. Commit to watching and listening to the downers only for a few minutes a week.  

For some, this is a big ask, so don’t worry if you need to take baby steps to get there. The point of this exercise is that a silent phone increases the chances of achieving a quiet mind and reconnecting with the present moment.

 

2. Mindful Eating 

If you’re puzzled by this one, you’re not alone. When it’s mealtime, I dislocate my jaw and inhale my food. I’m like a vacuum. The Capybara run for the hills and Melissa calls the exorcist as chicken bones and other food shrapnel fly. I have improved. I’ve learned to calm down, chew slowly and actually taste my food bite by bite. It pays to eat slowly and take in every bite. Focus not just on the flavors, but also the textures, and the joy and blessing of being able to eat. This is called mindful eating! 

 

3. Watch TV 

Hold on, watching TV will make me calmer?! Not all TV is terrible for your mind. I’m talking about watching TV in healthy, moderate doses. Binge-watching documentaries on serial killers, pollution, and grandmas poisoning their husbands is not a recommended course of action. When your mind needs a break, it’s perfectly acceptable to put on a nature, travel, or even a cooking program - sorry Dr. Rick, I call it a program! 

 

4. Do Something Repetitive

I enjoy hedge trimming in my yard. I begin by envisioning the end result. The repetitive movements lull me into a meditative state as I shape the greenery. Most people don’t get excited about repetition. Repetition is mesmerizing. It can be anything – even cleaning the house makes me calm. Another outlet can be knitting or crocheting. Have you ever watched someone knit? Talk about repetitive. I’ve never seen them bouncing off the walls or pacing the floor. Whatever works for you!

 

5. Use Art to Achieve Calm 

Art calms and brings us back to a grounded state. A trip to the museum can work wonders. Learning to quilt or playing a musical instrument can free your mind.

I enjoy fly tying. It makes me focus on a small hook, threading it, and wrapping it with all sorts of materials. I get so caught up in the process, it becomes a healthy outlet. I do need to be careful because I can become obsessive. For example, when the bird slammed into Fabio’s face, I was there to collect the feathers for my tying. I get caught up in the textures, the alignment of materials, the infinite combination of colors, and finally – the creation of a beautiful piece of art … which a fish will inhale and not be so calm. I know, dark humor. The good news is that I release the fish back into the river.  

So, there it is, five suggestions for you to achieve calm in your life. They work. Take time and put in the effort to follow them. It’s worth the investment.

I’ve got to go. It’s feeding time. ~Ted

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