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Lately I've been having trouble sleeping. I've gone to bed thoroughly exhausted but no matter how tired my body is, I can't seem to shut my mind off.
As soon as my head hits the pillow, my thoughts start to race. I start to think about all the things I have to do, and the plans I need to make the next day. I'll think about all the things I'm worried about, and think of ways that I could fix the issues in my life. An hour or two (or three) later, I'm finally asleep.
The next day, I'm too exhausted to achieve all the things I thought about the night before which leave me feeling frustrated and planning when I go to bed the next night, and the cycle starts all over again.
I'm sure you've been there before and understand how frustrating it is when you can't control your thoughts. A racing mind can leave you consumed with worry and stress which negatively effects your overall health and well-being - an unfortunate side effect of our busy world!
I'm working on controlling my thoughts so I can create a more peaceful home inside my head which in time will create a healthier and happier me. It's time to s l o w d o w n and edit your mind - so you can get some peace of mind!
Clear the busy air around you.
Turn your phone off, close the extra tabs, seek out somewhere quiet. Even if you're in a busy, urban area you can create your own peace and quiet by limiting your interactions with technology and other people.
For me this usually means putting my phone on silent in another room, or waking up while everyone else is asleep so I don't have to focus on anyone else but me for a while.
Let go of any regrets and accept them as lessons learned.
A lot of times when we stress out it's because of something we've done or said. We like to call these things "regrets".
Instead of regretting an experience, try to look at the experience as a lesson learned. Forgive yourself for making the mistake, tell yourself it won't happen again, and use your experience to create a better you in the future.
Accept the apology you never received.
Don't waste your energy and thoughts on someone that wouldn't do the same for you. It took me forever to learn this lesson, but it's an extremely valuable lesson.
When you hold off on forgiving someone (even for something as minor as bumping you on the bus), you're only hurting yourself by holding onto those negative feelings. If it's something major, don't accept the same poor treatment from someone (lesson learned) but allow yourself to live as if they already apologized and move on. If it's something small, don't sweat it!
Focus on your breathing.
The next time you're feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts, try focusing solely on your breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat. Let this task distract you for a while and calm you down. I've used this technique several times to help me fall asleep at night or when I've felt a sudden rush of anxiety.
Empty some of your thoughts on paper.
When your mind is racing with worry and thoughts, try emptying some of them onto paper, or into a journal. If you take a few minutes to write down your thoughts and acknowledge your feelings about them during the day, they'll be less likely to haunt you at night.
Indulge in less stimulants.
A stimulant is anything that increases your psychological energy. This can be caffeine, drugs, sugar - even certain people can be stimulants. Energy is good and essential to daily living, but too much can make your heart (and mind) race. Try cutting back, or eliminating your intake of stimulants to feel more balanced in life.
Let go of judgement and replace it with love.
Many of my negative thoughts in the past have revolved around my expectations and idea of what someone/something should be. Society has taught us that if someone/something is different then it's wrong. This idea is close-minded and does not contribute to the evolution of our world.
Instead, replace judgment with love. Be open minded to new ways of seeing things, new ideas and new people.
Let go of fear and replace it with trust.
As children we may have been afraid of the dark, or the monster under the bed however now that we're adults our fears have turned into something much worse.
We could be afraid of not being able to pay the bills, we could be afraid of losing our partner, or if not that - we could be afraid that we might be alone forever. We may be afraid of losing our health, our happiness, or even our hair. The options for things to fear are endless! No wonder half the world can't sleep at night.
A while ago I read a quote that resonated with me. "Worry does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace." When you let your fears control you and constantly worry about things, you're only robbing yourself of time, peace, and energy. Don't let this happen.
Replace your fear with trust. Trust that things happen for a reason. Trust that you can find a solution and get through this. Trust in the timing of your life.
Focus on the positive.
Sometimes I get really wrapped up in the all the negative in the world. It feels like my newsfeed is always plagued with another shooting, another genocide, another injustice, (or another certain president). When we're constantly bombarded with negative energy in the world, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with sadness and anger, and feel depressed.
When I start feeling like this, I try to step back and think about the progress we've made in the world - and the progress still to come.
Change doesn't happen until someone rocks the boat. Sometimes you have to fall in the water to learn how to swim (a.k.a. a bunch of bad can eventually lead to a bunch of good.) The key is to keep fighting for what's right and surrounding yourself with those people that believe in the same love and beauty that you do. Let your positive and loving thoughts trump the negative ones. Pun intended.
Your mind is a powerful tool which effects your entire well-being and peace of mind - don't forget to cleanse and nourish it, as well as your body!
Affirmations:
I let go of resentment, and replace it with forgiveness.
I let go of judgement, and replace it with love.
I let go of fear, and replace it with trust.
I am in control of my thoughts and happiness.
I allow peace and positivity into my life and mind.
Namaste.
Brittany
@simplylynne
***On a side note - it's my birthday this weekend, yay! I'll be taking it easy and spending some time with loved ones. To celebrate I'm doing a sale on Etsy - Everything in the shop is 15% off until January 23rd. Just use the code "SURPRISE" during checkout!***
