Are you feeling restless and uneasy?
If you are you’re certainly not the only one! There has been and is so much going on lately that it’s hard to know what normal and real is anymore. So far this year is turning out to be the strangest yet. As a number of people have mentioned to me it’s a bit like being in a weird movie.
A lot of people are experiencing anxiety
Stress and anxiety comes to most people at some time or other and this is certainly a time when many people will experience it. It can be caused by loneliness, worry, loss of freedom, work, lack of money and conflict.
Anxiety takes up your energy. Your heart speeds up, you sweat, and your muscles tense. And there is really no upside to anxiety. Having a restless mind destroys your focus, concentration and can cause many a sleepless nights. A restless mind drains you. Then, when it’s time to sleep, it won’t turn off.
So if your mind is restless, read on for some tips on how to calm it. It takes practice and determination, but the restless mind can absolutely be made calm. And like most difficult paths, it’s worth it. Also you will be able to make more informed decisions because you won’t be in survival mode and you will be able to relax more.
Take a logical step back
The restless mind is actually trying to protect you by warning you of future dangers. But it can get out of control. And it’s important to realize that your mind is only guessing what might happen. It doesn’t really know.
Distance yourself from your anxious thoughts. So take a step back and think about facts. How likely is it that the thing you fear will happen? And what can you do to prevent it? Take a deep breath, step back, and make a fact-based plans and decisions.
Focus on the Moment
Focusing on the moment is a mindfulness practice that teaches you to get out of your head, out of the past, and out of the future. Because the restless mind indulges in all kind of horror fantasies that are not based on reality or the task at hand.
If you focus on the moment, your mind gains tangible facts and details with which to construct your reactions. And your mind will be unable to lose itself in worry if you are focused on a conversation, enjoying a delicious meal, or something you are physically engaging in, a game for instance. So put your mind to work focusing on the moment.
Take Positive Action
There’s nothing worse for a restless mind than just sitting around. But the action you take can’t be just anything though. You have to decide on how to make your life better. And probably to start off you won’t be very good at it either. But that’s okay you’ll just experiment and see how it goes. Try some things out, evaluate your results from that, and then try something new. When you see yourself making progress, your mind will become calmer.
You may begin a worthwhile project, something you’ve wanted to do but keep putting off. It may be for yourself or someone else. Helping someone else always seems to lift the spirits and give a feeling of well being.
Don’t Allow Useless Thoughts To Take Over
PsychologyToday.com points out that “just because a thought is true doesn’t mean that it is helpful to focus on—at least not all the time. If only 1 in 10 people will get the job you seek, for instance, and you keep thinking about those odds, you may become de-motivated and not even bother applying.”
Your mind identifies trouble so that you can take action, not so that you convince yourself not to try. There is a myriad of useless thoughts we often indulge. Does this person like me enough? Am I doing the right job? Will my car break down? These are vague worries that do not help you in life. They weigh you down, so do not indulge them.
Step Back and Think
Re-evaluation is important for progress. If we don’t step back to think every now and then, we keep doing the same things over and over. Insanity, as they say, is doing the same things and expecting different results. So, step back for a minute and think.
When you step back, find a way to measure progress. And if you’ve got fitness goals, you can weigh yourself and decide if you need a better workout. Or if you’ve got money goals, evaluate how much you’re spending and what you can do to earn more. And remember that we are more capable than most of us give ourselves credit for.
Times may be challenging and uncertain right now but just giving into the fear and negativity is not the answer. But we are strong and can overcome adversity.
There are always better ways! You got this!