Lucy Lane - The Little Book of Calm Tips, Techniques and Quotes to Help You Relax and Unwind

THE LITTLE BOOK OF CALM

Copyright Summersdale Publishers Ltd, 2018

Text by Claire Berrisford

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

On the face of it, being calm might seem to be the ability to handle all situations; to have everything under control; to not be fazed by anything but this isnt quite true. Nobody is immune to the feelings of worry, anxiety or concern. In fact, these feelings are a normal and vital part of the human experience. Instead, being calm is all about how you deal with these feelings. You may be anxious, distressed or in a difficult situation, but this neednt throw you into a tailspin. With a few techniques and practices, anybody can learn to be calm. This little book will help you to manage yourself and your emotions, keep you thinking clearly, and help you to live a calmer, more contented life.

Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself .

Hermann Hesse

LEARN TO BE CALM AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE HAPPY.

Paramahansa Yogananda

THE BENEFITS OF BEING CALM

Being able to bring a sense of calm into your life has no end of benefits for both your body and mind. Calmness is good for you stress and prolonged tension are harmful to your body in the long term, so being able to manage these feelings helps to keep you healthy. You will be able to focus more fully, as being calm allows you to give matters your whole attention without distraction, and youre more likely to make informed, rational decisions. And, without the frantic feeling of stress, you are free to live in the moment. You can savour the food you eat, immerse yourself in a book or a film, and notice the wonderful details of the world around you. With the ability to find calm, you will live a clearer, richer and more vibrant life!

JUST BREATHE

If youre feeling stressed, one of the first steps to unwinding is making yourself slow down. To do this, try a simple breathing exercise. Sit or stand somewhere where you are comfortable, and relax your body. Breathe in through your nose and let your body fill with as much air as it can comfortably hold. Then slowly exhale through your mouth. This will soothe the immediate feelings of anxiety that can bubble up and will help you to focus on your next step.

If we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.

Viggo Mortensen

ALLOW YOURSELF PEACE

If you consider everything thats going through your mind from the big worries to the mundane everyday you may be surprised at how many are introduced by societal pressures or manufactured worries. While its natural to be concerned about the essentials in life, such as safe living conditions or mental and physical health, other worries like what other people may think of you come from the pressures of our society. We often look for things that we can be negative about when we would be much healthier and happier if we were able to let our worries go. In that way, learning to calm yourself is an important skill, enabling you to be more appreciative of lifes pleasures. We often allow stress and fatigue to obscure the beauty there is all around us; when we are calm and centred, it is much easier to appreciate all that is good in life and steer away from external pressures.

Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organise your life around it.

Brian Tracy

STOP TRYING TO DEFINE WHO YOU ARE AND JUST BE.

Cara Delevingne

READ THE SIGNS

Being able to maintain calm in your life is all about how youre able to manage stress and difficult situations, so one of the most important things to practise is recognising when you are getting stressed. Stress will affect everybody in a different way, but some common symptoms are feeling overwhelmed or irritable, having racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating, or having physical symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, muscle tension, changes to your appetite or fatigue. The more aware you are of when you get stressed, the better you will be able to deal with your feelings. You may also find it helpful to keep a diary of the things that make you anxious or tense. You might notice a pattern forming perhaps you get anxious when you go to a particular place or when you have to speak in public, for instance. Once you know what triggers your negative feelings, you can begin to take steps to deal with them.

He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.

Marcus Aurelius

LET YOUR SOUL STAND COOL AND COMPOSED BEFORE A MILLION UNIVERSES.

Walt Whitman

PRACTISE MEDITATION FOR A CALM MIND

When you practise meditation, your mind is not focused on whats around you, or on the things that are concerning you. It is the art of allowing your mind to become completely still, like a pool of water with no ripples. To begin, find a quiet, uncluttered place and sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes if you would like. Take slow, steady breaths and focus your attention on them. If a thought comes into your mind, acknowledge it but dont pursue it. Remain focused on your breathing. Notice if any parts of your body feel tense if so, relax them. Let yourself be still and soft. Do this for as long as you would like to, whether thats for five minutes or for half an hour. Emptying your mind is easier said than done, and some people find it easier to reach that state of calm than others. However, with practice, anybody can master meditation and reap the benefits.

In meditation, I can let go of everything Im just dipping into that powerful source that creates everything. I take a little bath in it.