Sophie Golding - How to Find Calm Inspiration and Advice for a More Peaceful Life

HOW TO FIND CALM

Copyright Summersdale Publishers Ltd, 2019

Text by Claire Chamberlain

All rights reserved.

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INTRODUCTION

Do you find yourself racing anxiously through each day? Perhaps you dont feel you have time to focus on your own needs? Or maybe you end up feeling so wired each evening that you struggle to sleep? If this resonates with you, it could be time to start nourishing your own mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. The following pages contain a selection of calming, easy-to-follow tips, practical advice and inspiring quotes to help introduce a deeper sense of peace into your life.

The Power of Your Mind

YOUR MIND IS A POWERFUL TOOL

The average human brain contains approximately 100 billion neurons, which work together to create more than 100 trillion connections. Yet, despite (or perhaps because of) the brains complexity, many people encounter a common dilemma: we can get so caught up in our ability to interpret and process multiple scenarios and problems that we have difficulty noticing the silence the silence behind our cognition, behind our constant internal dialogue and behind the tangle of automatic thoughts that can disrupt our inner peace. Learning how to move beyond the noise of the mind and enter that quiet space can help to restore your inner calm in an increasingly chaotic world.

AUTOMATIC THINKING

We have perhaps as many as 70,000 thoughts every day. Thats a lot of thinking and much of it is automatic. The first step to finding calm is recognizing that these thoughts are not facts: they are simply your mind attempting to interpret the world around you. Because of this, you dont have to believe everything you think. A weight will lift from your shoulders the moment you truly know this.

NOTICE THE SILENCE BEHIND YOUR INNER VOICE.

ESCAPE MIND TRAPS

A mind trap is a repetitive thought pattern that can lead you into a state of anxiety for example, constantly worrying about an upcoming event. By noticing this cycle and then reframing your thoughts, you can put a stop to the mind trap thats ruining your peace of mind. Next time you notice yourself stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts, do something physical to interrupt the pattern: hum a song or stamp your feet anything you like. This physical distraction can give you a brief moment to mentally pause and switch off the cycle, before you consciously think about something else.

Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax.

Bryant McGill

REALIZE YOU ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS

This is a powerful realization and one that can be deeply calming. To begin, spend a little time noticing your thoughts. Really listen to that voice in your head. What is it saying? Often, it will be interpreting situations or simply narrating detailing everything you see or hear, as well as chattering away about things you need to do or remember. It might be voicing your worries. It is constant and it can become draining. Noticing this inner voice gives you the opportunity to step back from it. From this place of distance, its easier to accept the following: if you can notice your thoughts, then it means that you are not your thoughts. Every time your thoughts start to overwhelm you or your inner voice gets too loud spend a moment simply noticing them, without judgement, and reconnect with the silent awareness behind them. This is a place of true calm, and it is available to you whenever you wish to go there.

There is a voice that doesnt use words.
Listen.

Rumi

SILENCE YOUR INNER CRITIC

Do you find it difficult to silence your inner critic? Meditation, exercise, reading and yoga can all help to press the mute button try a few of these options to find what works for you. Everyone is different youll know youve found the perfect remedy when you start to feel peaceful and able to notice the silence within yourself.

YOU CANT CALM THE STORM, SO STOP TRYING. WHAT YOU CAN DO IS CALM YOURSELF. THE STORM WILL PASS.

Timber Hawkeye

OVERRIDE YOUR CURRENT THINKING

Dont believe every thought you have. For example, the thought Im not good enough is neither helpful nor true. When it pops into your head, take a moment to think of some examples that prove otherwise.

IF ONE'S MIND HAS PEACE, THE WHOLE WORLD WILL APPEAR PEACEFUL.

Ramana Maharshi

CULTIVATE A POSITIVE MINDSET

Do you find that phrases such as I hate Mondays are the first to pop into your head each day? If youve slowly spiralled into a pattern of negative thinking, its time to start cultivating a more positive mindset. Start to challenge those negative thoughts, by reframing them in a more positive light. For example, do you really hate Mondays? Its likely that good things will happen during the day, such as that first sip of hot tea or lunch with a friend. Focus on these aspects, rather than making sweeping negative statements, and seek out positive news stories to give yourself a boost.

ALLOW YOURSELF TO ENJOY THIS DAY.

To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.