With the holiday season in full swing, there’s plenty of stress and uncertainty to go around.
Sure, the holidays are meant to be a time of joyous celebration, but we all know the truth is it’s a time to sweat overspending on presents and worrying about taxes owed.
Achieving peace of mind is easier said than done. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
It comes down to knowing the right things to do in order to bring ourselves down from the ledge of a nervous breakdown, especially when away from home.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at six ways to ease your mind on the run:
Listen to music
We’re willing to bet you’re like most people and consider music to be one of the greatest things ever conceived.
If so, chances are you have your own personal list of great artists, albums, and songs.
With this in mind, we suggest creating a playlist designed to help you calm down and keep your wits during especially stressful experiences.
When the going gets tough, take time to sit down and listen to these songs as a way to ease your mind.
Doing so will lift your mood and spirits without costing much in the way of time and money.
Learn breathing techniques
It’s not uncommon to unconsciously alter your breathing during stressful situations. Unfortunately, this signals additional stress and anxiety to the brain, creating an unwelcome cycle that is difficult to escape.
The solution – for many – is to develop certain breathing techniques to counteract the erratic breathing that comes from undergoing sudden stress.
Consult this guide on healthy breathing techniques used to overcome stress and anxiety as a way to ease your mind on the run.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is difficult to teach. However – paradoxically – mindfulness is easy to learn.
It starts with identifying the ways in which your body and mind respond to stress and anxiety.
Once you’ve logged the manner in which you react to unwelcome information and stimuli, the next step is to actively recognize them in real-time.
From there, it becomes a matter of mentally intervening before you let your emotions get the better of you. It doesn’t happen overnight, but mindfulness – once achieved – is perhaps the most effective means of achieving peace of mind in almost any situation.
Utilize pain relief
When it comes to putting mind over matter, the hardest obstacle to overcome is the experience we all know as physical pain.
Think of those Buddhist monks who sat still in the lotus position while they burned alive in protest.
Fortunately, it’s unlikely you will ever experience a similar scope of agony in pursuit of your goals. But that doesn’t mean the pain and discomfort you experience should be ignored.
Instead, it should be treated accordingly. From common pain relievers like ibuprofen to topical alternatives like CBD roll on relief, the ability to manage pain is essential to achieving peace of mind.
With this in mind, having pain relief options is a key aspect of having a mind-easing environment on the run.
Wear comfortable clothing
Many people choose to wear clothes that make them look their best. Unfortunately, looking your best doesn’t always convert to feeling your best.
Simply put, stylish wear is often uncomfortable. Unless the circumstances demand formality above comfort, we suggest opting for comfortable clothing whenever possible.
Doing so will make it less likely you experience stress brought on by a sense of confinement and constriction.
Start disconnecting from distractions
Virtually everyone carries portals to the digital world in their pockets. We’re referring, of course, to smartphones.
They enable us to be connected to the entire world so long as there’s a connection.
But constant access to 24/7 news, social media, and personal drama courtesy of SMS take its toll on our ability to maintain our composure on the go.
By disconnecting from these digital distractions, we have a better chance of avoiding the stress and anxiety so often associated with modern life.
As the holiday season approaches high gear, our ability to maintain peace of mind becomes harder.
Fortunately, there are many ways to mitigate the potential self-destruction that comes with holiday stress. There are many ways to ease our minds on the run. The question is whether or not we put them to use.
Julie Steinbeck is a freelance writer from Florida. She enjoys writing about business, finance, health, and travel.