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Rewire Your Busy Mind with These Simple Techniques…

Written by Katherine Dreyer, Co-Founder of ChiRunning & ChiWalking
Founder of ChiLife Coaching
 

When babies get cranky and fidgety, we understand they are tired or overstimulated. They need a quiet, calm atmosphere and a soothing touch, after which they may quietly fall asleep.

The same is true for our own busy and overactive minds.

Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or fearful due to uncertainty usually indicates that our mind is overstimulated. Surprisingly, the root cause is often the mind itself, rather than external factors.

Despite the challenges we face, our response to life’s situations are what truly matter.

Recognizing this, we can see our thought patterns have gone awry when we become overly dramatic, self-critical, compare ourselves to others, hold unreasonable expectations, or obsessively imagine worst-case scenarios.

Our body responds to anxiety in a variety of ways, including tension, nervous energy, sleeplessness, and even physical illness.

Our mind thrives on creating a lot of unnecessary activity. It constantly reviews, analyzes, and judges past events, replaying scenarios over and over. As if that weren’t exhausting enough, it also plans ahead and tries to imagine and prepare for every conceivable future scenario.

The mind believes its purpose is “to know” definitively. And, if we make a mistake, forget something, or don’t have the perfect response, it judges us and makes us feel as if we have failed.

This only creates more anxiety and lack of trust in ourselves. It feeds the “runaway mind.”

Whenever you feel any of these telltale symptoms, instead of letting the tension take over, think of it as a time to soothe, refocus, and quiet your mind.

Here’s the deal. You are not your mind. It is only one aspect of you.

While the mind sometimes seems to have the upper hand, it relaxes when it feels someone is in charge.

That someone is you.

Here are some ChiLife techniques to quiet, soothe, and redirect the mind for positive outcomes:

Use your five senses to pay close attention to whatever you’re doing, or experiencing. When your attention wanders, refocus it.

  • Hearing: Listen, really listen, to a piece of music. Or stop and listen to the birds, an even more subtle sound to attune to.
  • Sight: Look at something in close detail, such as a painting, a natural scene, or even simply a plant or flower. Notice every detail. See if you can appreciate it.
  • Touch: Let your sense of touch take over. In ChiRunning and ChiWalking we call it Body Sensing. Give yourself a hug, or give a hug and get one in return!
  • Taste: When you eat, savor each bite. Notice how the flavor affects you. Enjoy the texture, taste and smell. Eating is a muli-sensory experience. As you cook, notice the colors and textures of your ingredients.
  • Smell: Surround yourself with delightful scents that transport you. Light a fragrant candle, use essential oil-infused soap, or clean with natural products that smell wonderful—these small touches can make everyday tasks a moment to enjoy.

Get physically active and tune in to your body.

  • Movement is a very healthy way to refocus the busy mind. Whether you take a walk, go for a run, do some light yoga, or do a little dance, find a way to move your body that feels good and helps redirect your mind.
  • As you’re moving, do regular body scans. Check in with areas of tension and offer them compassion and understanding.
  • Feel your feet connecting with the ground. Remember, where your mind goes, your Chi flows! When you focus on your feet touching the ground, you allow energy to flow from your mind to your feet. You’ll feel more embodied and grounded.

Expand beyond your mind and give it some loving attention.

  • There’s a part of you that exists beyond your mind, often referred to as The Witness, The Observer, or the 30,000’ Perspective.
  • Notice that it can hear, witness, and observe your mind, your emotions and all your sensory experiences.
  • From this vantage point, you can listen and respond to the mind: “I hear you. You’re nervous.” “I feel you, you’re tense.” This kind of attention can relieve stress because it provides a sense of being truly heard!

Sit quietly and do nothing, otherwise known as meditation.

  • One of my earliest experiences with meditation was quite simple: I would sit for ten minutes without doing anything, often outside, gazing at the stars.
  • Notice if you get fidgety or frustrated. See if you can just notice and not act on the frustration.
  • You can watch a candle or close your eyes.
  • Follow your breath for a few moments.
  • Body sense.

Take regular news, technology, and TV detox.

  • Take a full day off any technology and news. If a full day feels like too much, start unplugging for a few hours in the morning. Dedicate that time to enjoy the peace and quiet before diving into the digital world.

Get out in nature.

  • Let your mind relax as you take in nature in any form. Breathe in the fresh air and acknowledge that you are a part of nature, not separate from it.

Breathe consciously.

  • There are so many wonderful breathing techniques to choose from, so take some time to find the ones that resonate with you.
  • One of my favorites is simple: Breathe out for 4. Be empty for 4. Breath in for 4. Hold for your breath for 4. Start over. Do this ten times.
  • Or, you can just observe your breath and notice how it moves through your body. Notice how it nourishes your body. Notice the sense of emptiness every time you exhale.

Create a regular practice of gratitude and forgiveness.

  • Lately, whenever I start to feel stressed or anxious, I forgive myself right away and, wow, it has been extremely effective. I don’t even need to pinpoint the source of my stress; just showing myself compassion and understanding helps me feel better.
  • My gratitude journal is filled with all kinds of crazy things. Writing it down has shown me how grateful I am for just about everything. Gratitude truly transforms your perspective.

Try to incorporate one of these techniques regularly to make mindfulness a daily practice. Once you feel confident in that practice, add another, and continue building from there.

The world, along with our children and friends, need us to be as calm and relaxed as possible—and we need that for ourselves, too!

Explore these techniques and discover how they can transform your daily routine. If you’re looking for personalized support, I’d love to be your guide– schedule a free ChiLife Coaching Session.

 

 

 

Get a Free ChiLife Coaching Session with Katherine Dreyer, co-founder of ChiRunning, ChiWalking and ChiLife Coaching.

What to expect: In your free 50-minute session, you’ll get a feel for working with me and ChiLife Coaching. We’ll explore one of your challenges or goals. It’s a great way to experience the support and guidance you’ll receive in regular sessions. You can easily book your spot through my online scheduler. You’ll get all the details by email right away.

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