How to Cultivate a Calmer Mind Using Your Senses
Life is one grand permutation. The concept can be freeing and overwhelming at the same time. With so many possible outcomes, how can you leave less to chance? Unless you're reading this from some Walter-White-esque log cabin, there’s probably tons of chaos in your world. Both of the controllable and uncontrollable variety. Let’s talk about what we can control: the input and in turn, the output.
Calmer vibes in, calmer thoughts out.
Think of those rare quiet moments in your day. Perhaps you are seeing blackness, either fading in or out of sleep. Perhaps it’s the sound of the door closing when you take a bathroom break. Maybe it’s that first sip of coffee. That moment when you say “It’s going to be ok.”
Little moments of safety.
Little flashes of “I got this.”
Injections of little calm vibes throughout your day.
Now what if you made efforts to fill your day with more of these Zen moments?
Think of it as self-curating your brain feed.
The first task: think about the way you take in new information. Are you more of a visual learner? (you love illustrations, outlines, maps) or are you auditory learner? This may offer a clue to what methods are most effective in cultivating calmness.
Here are some suggestions:
The Visually Oriented: Here we aim to change the objects/stimuli in your line of sight. The less you see, the less your brain has to process. Try to keep you home and workspace as uncluttered as possible. When you start to feel that uncontrollable chaotic feeling starting to appear, change you scenery AKA get out of there! If it’s not convenient, close your eyes as long as possible. Also, don’t underestimate the psychology of color. If you have lights that change color, tune it to your shade of choice.
The Power of Touch: Wearing comfortable breathable clothes in soft fabrics, socks, your favorite ratty sweatshirt from forever ago. Try a weighted blanket. Hug someone (or an animal you love) for at least 10 seconds. Maybe you can imagine your heartbeats syncing. Give yourself a hand or neck massage. Something I personally love to do is to place crystals on my wrists and sitting still for as long as possible. Recently, I have been working on emotional balance, so green calcite is my go-to. Also, a nice shower is always a winning option.
The Listener/Audiophile: Make a playlist of songs that are relaxing for you, try to leave off any songs that you have negative associations. Listen to a song and try to identify the different instruments. Try a sound machine. YouTube a relaxing video or positive self-affirmations.
Aromatherapy is real: Smell can evoke all types of feelings. Put a diffuser in every room. Designate different smells for different tasks. Right now, I am loving a blend of lavender + bergamot + eucalyptus. Are there any smells that remind you of your childhood (in a good way)?
Gustatory, a fancy way of saying “things you taste.”: Take a few minutes to have a comforting beverage. Take long sips. Let the sensations wash over your mouth. Stash some gum in your desk. Chew on some ice. Close your eyes and imagine yourself eating your favorite food. Try to be as detailed as possible.
I hope you like these suggestions. I would love to hear about your unique combination of Insta-Zen! Leave us a comment here with the things that are working for you.
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Rebecca Nguyen is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been practicing since 2011. She got her Master’s of Arts from Our Lady of Holy Cross College and her Bachelor’s of Arts from Loyola University. She has a unique perspective of the human condition from her extensive experience with mental health and endless curiosity. She proudly hails from New Orleans, Louisiana AKA the most magical place in the universe.
