Finding Calm in a Busy Life

January 19, 2022

By Rachel Grunwell – co-leader of the Mindful Moments Retreats at the Polynesian Spa. Rachel is a wellness coach, speaker, yoga + meditation teacher, award-winning writer, and author of the book Balance: Food, Health + Happiness (which includes 30 global experts sharing science-backed wisdom on living healthier & happier).

Life is on a speed setting. It’s getting faster and faster and there’s more pressure coming in from different directions.

Then add Covid on top and life is made even harder.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious and stressed.

Look, everyone can struggle to feel centred, grounded and happy on occasions; Life can be tough.

I was personally so worried recently about a loved one that my heart raced almost at marathon-pace. I could barely breath and my shoulders were so tight they almost reached my ears. My head, too, was in outer space – somewhere.

I used a combination of strategies to cope including several below which helped me to harness more inner-calm. I hope some of these strategies resonate with you and help you too (or someone you love).

Harness the Power of Your Breath

Take time to stop, pause and to take 10 long, slow, deep breaths whenever your heart races. This is a tool that can help to calm your nervous system. If I am at my work desk, I do this while sitting during breaks. But it is wonderful also to stand and stretch my arms up above my head (on the inhale of breath) and then bring my arms down by my side (on each exhale). This can feel invigorating, and this is a yoga strategy I teach. Even better, do it outside in the fresh air and sunshine. Take your shoes off and feel the earth underneath you. Taking time for a pause moment can help you to feel more steady and at ease.

Seek out the right friendships

When you face challenging times, talk to people who can genuinely help to uplift you. Avoid those who will spin you more out of control and into negativity. When you feel in crisis, some friends are better at helping you to cope and feel calm than others. So, choose the tribe you surround yourself wisely. This can impact on your ability to feel calmer and happier.

Learn Mindfulness techniques

Mindfulness is a research-based tool that is useful for coping with life stresses which is something I truly recommend and also teach at the Mindful Moments Retreats at the Polynesian Spa. How does mindfulness work? When we feel stressed, we can feel an urge to flee from our thoughts and feelings which feel uncomfortable. Try instead to notice and evaluate what you think and feel and then calmly approach what to do next with “a wise mind”. So rather than reacting on impulse to a situation or emotion, instead look at it carefully and respond more skilfully.

Take a hot bath or shower – or ultimately enjoy a dip into hot pools at the Polynesian Spa

In my book Balance: Food, Health + Happiness, an expert explains that a warm bath or shower helps your body to feel relaxed and why. Also, there is a sleep benefit too with the drop in temperature that occurs afterwards.

Have Me Time

Take “me time” to do something you love – like knitting, sewing, gardening, baking, listen to music or do a sport that you enjoy. Nurture yourself with kindness and inject some happiness, playfulness and fun into your life. This will help you to de-stress and give the mind a break from challenging thoughts.

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