1. Start with a calm morning ritual – Many people rush through their mornings, starting the day out in a stressful rush.… Wake up a little earlier than anyone in the house and start with perhaps a short prayer, meditation or stretches. Or simply just close your eyes and breathe deeply a few times to collect and center yourself. Exercising, even brisk walking for at least 20 minutes will put you at a good start for the day. Personally, after my calm morning ritual, I start writing to organize my day before the noise starts coming in. You don’t need to do the same things, but find the quiet of the morning and make the most of it.
2. Watch your responses to stress – Stress is inevitable. Be #mindful of not just what makes us stressed out but also how we cope with it. Many times, when we are faced with stress, we have unhealthy responses — anger, feeling overwhelmed, withdrawing, overeating, eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol/drugs, buying unnecessary stuff, going to time-wasting sites, procrastinating, and so on. Instead, develop healthy ways to cope with stress. Healthy stress coping habits include: drinking tea (coffee makes me even more hyped up), exercise, listening to music, a trip to the salon for a manicure/pedicure, massage (even massaging your own shoulder and neck should do), taking a walk, drinking some water, talking with someone you care about.
3. Reduce clutter – Our lives are filled with all kinds of clutter — visual clutter, social media, news, all the things that surround us affect our mood and disposition. Start clearing all areas of your life (and that includes relationships that you know are not good for you). To avoid getting overwhelmed, start where you spend your time the most. Perhaps it is your study/work table, dresser, your bed area. Anything that is distracting, you do not need urgently, just remove them out of your sight. For me, the best way to clear clutter is to remove everything first then just put back what I want or need. This way I do not “have to” keep and find space for everything. Everything else I do not need I force myself to decide – keep or give away. Include anything that is in your peripheral vision. Reduce all these things and more, and you’ll create more space, more calmness, in your life.