Calm in the Chaos: Day #1 - Take Notice

Not as easy as it sounds in this busy, crazy world – but finding ways to tune into how you are actually feeling emotionally and physically is so important. 

Our world is full of distractions, ways to numb how we are feeling and to fill our brains so we don’t notice what’s really going on. Often the signs are there – the things that force us to slow down.

Everyone has their own warning signals and the key is to notice them as soon as possible, before they develop into anything further. I learnt this the hard way after I truly burnt out physically and mentally after years of “powering through”. I am by no means perfect these days but I have found that finding the time to slow down and listen to my body and mind really does help. 

For me, there are a few practices I have found to help:

1. Noticing my emotions – if I am finding myself in a repeating pattern of being really short fused, tearful or anxious, this is usually a sure sign that something is out of balance for me. 

2. Quick mindfulness exercises – I have free apps on my phone with 1 or 3 minute guided meditations on them but sometimes its just a few deep breaths (at work I used to go to the loo to do this, so the breaths in weren’t too deep!)

3. Gentle stretches - first thing in the morning, to ‘tune in’ to my body (if I miss my morning routine, I try to do it in the evening). If there’s an ache or a pain I try to work out what it’s telling me I have overdone physically or mentally

4. Reflecting in a journal – I resisted doing this for a long time but have found journals with prompts in them really help me to notice what’s going on for me

5. Schedule it in at work – back to back meetings or video calls can be exhausting and also give you no time to reflect on how you’re actually feeling. Try to block out some time each day to give yourself a quick “How am I feeling” review. I know you think you don’t have time but honestly you’ll thank yourself for it later...