Cultivating Calm

Cultivating Calm
Detox your mind and create inner peace with these handy tips.

In the digital, fast-paced world we live in, it’s easy for stress to build. Overcrowding and overstimulation in the mind is a great source of frustration, and when that overcrowding becomes too much to function, a serious decline in your mental health can occur. Over-analysing and chaotic thought patterns can all lead to anxiety and stress, and further act to inhibit mental growth or productivity.

Here are our top tips for for learning to cultivate calm and detox the mind.

Start by reducing stimulants

By limiting your sugar, coffee and alcohol intake, you remove ingredients that can contribute to overstimulation in the brain. Reducing or removing sugar from your diet will regulate your adrenaline, stop your blood sugar from spiking – which causes stark mood swings – and assist in your body being able to naturally produce calming chemicals that can keep you level headed.

The same goes for caffeine; by cutting down your consumption, or removing it entirely, you remove the foreign stimulant that can hinder your ability to function at a higher level (despite what we might tell ourselves). Depending on your personal experience, caffeine can interact with our mindset in different ways. For some people, just one coffee in the morning can disrupt the sleep cycle even 12 hours later. By replacing these artificial ‘highs’ with natural energy boosters you will be amazed at how much easier it is to quiet your overcrowded mind.

Slow down on the news

For some, a reason for overcrowding and constant worry is actually the news we consume on a daily basis. By curating or reducing the amount of information we are exposed to everyday, we can begin to focus on ourselves and bring attention to what it is you value.

This includes constantly checking social media. The fear of missing out is a real and serious issue for some. By practicing restraint and avoiding overcomplicating your thoughts, you are not constantly concerned with the bigger picture. Taking a total technology holiday is extremely beneficial for your mind, even if that’s just for 15 minutes a day. An added bonus of detoxing your mind from the news is that you gain more time to actually work towards your personal goals.

Soak up positivity 

Similarly, by focussing on the positive and surrounding ourselves with positive people, happiness-by-proxy has been known to change our very own state of mind. Read that book you’ve been waiting so long to start, watch an inspirational or educational documentary, take up painting classes or start reading positive affirmations everyday. Create calmness through listening to music and taking time to focus on your breath.

By incorporating these small, simple things into your every day life, you will notice a reduction in your crowded thoughts and stress levels. In the same way, detoxing from negative relationships is an important way to retain stability and focus on yourself. Find out how to here.

Get up, move on!

When troubling thoughts begin to dominate, get up and get moving. Change your goals, work on a project or begin a specific task that will take your mind off whatever is beginning to trouble you.

Physical action allows you to redirect – even subconsciously – wasteful energy into something positive. Try exercises that also focus on breathing and stress-relief, such as yoga or pilates. Why not try these moving meditation ideas to quiet the mind?

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