City life is exciting. It's hustle and bustle, fast pace, continuous change, fashion, food, fitness, fun!!
It can also be stressful, lonely, impatient, unforgiving, overwhelming, pretentious.
We all have our ways of calming the mind. It could be taking a walk, jogging, reading a book, meditating, having a cuppa, people watching, bird watching! But once you've found that inner calm, how do you sustain it for the rest of the day? Till the end of the working week? All the way through to Sunday evening and when you wake up on Monday morning?
How do you master the "not giving a shit" attitude? When things go tits up, how do you shrug it off? How do you laugh in the face of what feels like "hopelessness"?
1. Are you aware of your breath?
If you reach to 80 years old, you will breath about 672,768,000 times in your life. And majority of these breaths will be controlled unconsciously.
Breathing consciously however, can help to improve sleep, reduce stress and improve health. So at the end of your chapter, or before you go to have a scroll through Instagram - stop to observe your breathing. Simply be aware for a minute or count to 10 and see if you can extend that state of calm for awhile longer!
2. Flight mode.
Not just while flying but try putting your phone on flight mode while eating or walking, reading or talking to a friend. Time is valuable and whatever the action, giving your attention to that one action will make it a) more enjoyable b) more stress-free and c) keep you more content for longer.
3. Ditch the caffeine.
How many times have you or someone you know half-joked that you need caffeine to make it through the day? Personally I have a jumper with the slogan "Insert Coffee To Start" so I know how you might feel.
Laying off the caffeine will help you feel less stressed and anxious as your body won't be going through constant "fight or flight" mode. You'll also save money in the long-term and that always reduces stress!
You will have good days and bad days but it's how you react to those bad days that determine whether you will have just an off day or an off week...
So give these a try and let me know how you get on. As always please send me a message via the contact page if you have any questions or more tips!
xxx