Meditation
Now don’t get mad at me for this one. I know that a lot of people - myself included - have trouble with meditation and stillness but the facts don’t lie; Being able to calm down the mind is one of the biggest superpowers you can possess. There’s numerous ways to meditate and there is one out there that suits you too. Some like to call it prayer and for others it works best if it’s a guided practice. Keep in mind that there’s no good or bad way to meditate and that even three minutes is enough.
First let me sum up some of the benefits so you get why meditation/stillness is important:
Not everything we think is true. Our thoughts are layered with outside influences, opinions from our surroundings and societal standards. Sitting with our thoughts and taking a moment to look at them will give you the opportunity to assess which thoughts resonate with you and which do not.
Non judgmentally sitting with your emotions and letting them be can help you get a better understanding of them.
Just sitting (either with or without music/guided meditation) is said to regulate blood pressure, lowers stress levels and with that anxiety.
Getting good at quieting the mind will help with sleep and concentration.
Need more reasons? Check out this list of 12 science base benefits of meditation.
Now, take any position that's comfortable for you. Sitting or lying down, as long as you can relax your legs and shoulders. Close your eyes and just sit there. Thoughts? That’s fine. Just stay there for at least three minutes. Do this every day and add a minute a day. Set a timer and don’t open your eyes until the alarm (pick a calming sound) has gone off. You don’t have to do anything other than sit there and in time there will come a moment that your mind will quiet down.
If you’d rather do a guided meditation here’s some good ones:
Or just pick any of these sound bath videos for instant relaxation:
And if none of that works there’s one last thing you can try: focus on something you enjoy. Whether this is painting, knitting or dancing; It has to completely consume you to the point that there’s no more thinking. That can be meditative too.