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Happy April! I hope you all are enjoying the sunshine and beautiful aspects of life! Just recently, I took some time to simply relax, reflect and clear my mind a little. It felt far too foreign to me than it should. Furthermore, the first thoughts that popped into my head were things from my to-do list and upcoming schedule events. Not one thought was easy-going or peaceful. I also struggled to remember the last time I even took a couple of minutes just to think in silence with no agendas. I’m sure, there are many of you that have shared a moment or two like this.
I understand life gets busy! We have children, jobs or other factors to consider. However, moments of openness and free space are often overlooked as urgent or vital because other deadlines or pressures easily take over. The thing is, these moments are more than necessary – they help us become better, interact with others better and live better and more productive lives. So, in the midst of our schedules and overactive hamster wheels of the mind, here are three ways that I have found help foster a more peaceful sense of clarity and freedom in life.
1. Carve out time for it
This is arguably the most important first step in all of this, and often the most difficult. How can we create space in our minds if we don’t have space in our schedules? Even starting out with five minutes in your day can be a huge help. I am preaching to myself here. A number of you can probably also relate to every deadline and concern in the world flooding into your mind as soon as you close your eyes. For this reason, I recommend starting an extra 5-15 minutes earlier for these thoughts to come and go or be met with a solution. Additionally, environment can be a game changer. For a long time, my “free space” was my bathroom. This was a place that reduced the chances of me being interrupted or rushed.
2. Use your imagination to your advantage
Sometimes, it is more beneficial to focus on directing your thoughts instead of clearing them out. It is easy to imagine what could go wrong or negative thoughts people may have about you, etc. Instead, try focusing on things that are in your control and that also matter, maybe even matter more. For instance, if I feel one of my character flaws is being weak, it will benefit me to imagine myself as a strong woman. What would that look like? How could I do things differently or more consistently to align myself with that? When we start looking at ourselves through an edifying lens and develop the belief in ourselves to become better, we have a higher probability of making it a reality.
As soon as we start becoming better, the way we interact with others changes! It becomes easier to disassociate with discouraging or harmful relationships and habits. That disassociation can lead to building an edifying, supportive and helpful community that pulls us into our potential and raises our bar into greater purpose. The doors of opportunity, as well as the healthy emotional and mental state that follows, is beautiful! Go join a local church or gym, for example. Life becomes so much more enjoyable and can feel much more meaningful.
3. Clear your environment!
Clean your house or your car! You’d be amazed at how much a clean and clutter-free environment can help our own mental state. Not only can cleaning be a relaxing habit in and of itself, but it creates a sense of fresh openness and free space. This can easily translate to your mental state and even check off a couple of those to-do list thoughts that come. Another plus is that there is also a clean and additional space to lay your body on or move around in … or even dance, if in the quietness a special song pops into your mind!
My hope is that you all live with as much peace and stability as possible. Taking these steps toward mental and emotional health does wonders for us all. Additionally, if you are one that feels a desire to create or expand your community, always feel free to reach out through my email or social media pages. I love meeting new people and friends! Have a fabulous rest of your month and, as always, much love to you all!
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