(ThyBlackMan.com) How do you relax and take your mind off things? Most would say a long walk or a good workout. Both of these are great ways to achieve relaxation. But did you know there are other, even more effective ways of achieving mental paradise?
In our twenty-four hour news cycle, where we are deluged with information, advertising and bad news without end, it’s imperative that we work to achieve a mental posture aligned with peace, serenity and inner-sanctum.
If we fail to do this, we often find ourselves disgruntled, irritable, and
bordering on depression. We have the power to change this dynamic by simply making time to relax our mind and achieve mental equilibrium.
Any successful program in this regard must have a multi-faceted approach; it must be physical, mental and spiritual oriented. Here are three ways, among many, we can achieve mental relaxation.
High Intensity Cardio
Cardio is a very effective way to relax your mind, mostly because it’s a stress-buster. We accumulate stress from our environment virtually all day, whether from our boss, our spouse or our children. An aerobic workout literally takes the stress out of our day. If you are new to exercise, don’t start off with high-intensity aerobic exercise; work your way up to it. Start out with low-impact movements such as walking or gardening. Once you are ready, you can move up to elliptical or treadmill workouts. Or simply elevate up to power walking. If you are really ready, try some sprints!
Do a Television Fast
Achieving mental relaxation not only can come via working your body, but also by working out your mental faculties. One of the biggest impediments to mental peace is what someone referred to as the “one-eyed monster” – the television. Invariably, the most common response I get when I ask the question ‘What are you doing?’ is “Watching TV.”
Like most things, it’s not the quantity of the activity as much as it is the quality. We owe our brains – and therefore our mental peace – some measure of distance from the murder, mayhem and maliciousness being served via network and cable programming today. Do a television fast; turn it off for a couple of hours. Don’t watch television after a certain time at night. The more bad television we watch near bedtime, the more toxic our spirit becomes as we move into slumber. Doing a television fast can potentially be the best thing you’ve ever done for your peace of mind.
Practice Mindfulness
Speaking of peace of mind, practicing some form of mindfulness is the ultimate mental relaxation technique. Mindfulness is a “mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations.”
Mindfulness also involves acceptance without judgment and resisting whether something or someone is “right” or “wrong”. Mindfulness is an absolutely worthy and effective technique in achieving a level of mental relaxation.
Mindfulness can be achieved quite simply. You can begin by simply paying attention to your breathing rhythm; listening to how your breath courses through your body; paying attention to how your body responds.
Another way to practice mindfulness and acceptance is to make it a point not to respond to a certain stimuli such as your manager or spouse or children – when they present with negative vibes. Simply choose to select the ‘ignore’ button.
Any program for mental relaxation must be physical, mental and spiritual oriented.
Staff Writer; W. Eric Croomes
This talented brother is a holistic lifestyle exercise expert and founder and executive coach of Infinite Strategies LLC, a multi-level coaching firm that develops and executes strategies for fitness training, youth achievement and lifestyle management. Eric is an author, fitness professional, holistic life coach and motivational speaker.
In October 2015, Eric released Life’s A Gym: Seven Fitness Principles to Get the Best of Both, which shows readers how to use exercise to attract a feeling of wellness, success and freedom (Infinite Strategies Coaching LLC, 2015) – http://www.infinitestrategiescoaching.com.
