The art of finding headspace

Stop whatever you're doing for a moment and think “where is my mind right now?”. There’s a very high chance you’re thinking about something work-related or something you have to get done as soon as possible. It can be a bit of a chaotic mess in there, right? 

Now, have you ever taken a step back and tried to clear your head? Maybe even attempt to declutter and organise your thoughts? Or do you simply not know where to start? Don’t worry, take my (virtual) hand and I will guide you through different ways you can create the right headspace.

The Power of Meditation and Breathing

As silly as it may sound, do you ever just take a moment to breathe during your day to day life, like really breathe, deep breaths in and out? Many studies have shown that simply spending at least 5 to 10 minutes of your day taking deep breaths can help achieve a healthy state of mind. 

Connect with Nature

Nature is one of Earth’s mightiest gifts. For many people, nature can simply just be a forest, mountainous areas or even your local park. Taking time out of your day to visit an area of nature is another good way to create headspace. 

Connecting with nature can be done in various ways. Here are two examples of ways you can do this:

Going for a walk: Walking can be a form of meditation and is a great way to free the stress in your mind

Gardening: Planting flowers or growing vegetables is a great way to keep yourself preoccupied and move away from everyday stresses. 

Sometimes, when we have so much going on in our lives, we find it hard to get clarity and have any sense of direction. Connecting with nature doesn't only improve your mood but research has found that it can also help reduce feelings of anger and stress. It can also improve your physical health, by becoming more active,  and improve your confidence. And as the saying goes, “Be one with nature”.

Avoid Adding More to the Pile

Our day to day lives can get busy and often our minds get side-tracked. Next thing you know you have one-two many things to do at once and this can get overwhelming. 

To get more clarity and the right headspace, focus on what’s in front of you and avoid adding more work to your to-do list if your already drowning in it. It’s good to prioritize your key focuses and get through them one at a time.

Not only will you be able to get things done more effectively, but you will have peace of mind, and the headspace to be more present, and enjoy the moments in your day!

Keep A Journal

Journalling is a therapeutic way to alleviate stress and create more clarity in our minds, by writing down all the thoughts and feelings that trouble isthrough the day to day, and the things that we suppress, that affect us without us even realising.

Tracking your mood, and reflecting on how you are feeling every day helps to uncover the roots of anxieties, fears and also the things that bring you peace and happiness. In return, you can pursue all the positive aspects of your lifestyle, and start to remove things and people that create negativity and stress.

Buddy Up

Spending time with loved ones can help lift weight off of your shoulders. It can give you the space to talk about your feelings and get advice and help if you need it without feeling like a burden. Whether that be meeting up with a lifelong friend or simply going to catch up with your family, time spent away from your everyday routines can help improve anxiety and stress. 

Be Kind to Yourself

The human mind tends to become our own worst enemy. The never-ending battle in our minds can have us dwelling on the smallest of things, and we can sometimes become consumed by negative thoughts. It’s easy to be kind and polite to others but we as humans find it difficult to treat ourselves the same way. To shift your mindset, here are a few tips on how to be kind to yourself:

Giving yourself a‘pat’ on the back: Give yourself recognition and start being proud of your achievements and goals. We’re always ready to put our hands together to clap for others but sometimes we need to do the same for ourselves. You can even write down your accomplishments and look back at them when you need some motivation!

Treat yourself: Don’t always rely on your friends and family for something you want. Treat yourself. Even if it’s expensive, you can always save up for it. 

“Dance like there is no-one watching”: Sometimes being kind to yourself can be accomplished by doing just that, dancing like nobody's watching. Find your own space, turn on some music and dance the night away. 

Being kind to yourself is the ultimate ways to achieve a healthy mindset and create the right headspace.

Have Fun

Along this life journey, you need to have fun. By living in the moment and enjoying the journey, you learn more about yourself and what your body, mind and soul need to be at peace. Ultimately, you create more clarity and achieve the headspace you need to focus on the right things.

Trying out new things and making changes in your life can be stressful, and often hard to get used to, but feel the fear and do it anyway.

Remember to take one step at a time and have fun during the process!

Article written by Sana Mahmood

https://instagram.com/theonlysana