5 Tips On How To Clear Your Head And Decompress

I think we have all had times in our lives where we feel like we just need to take a breather.  There are moments where we need to take a step back to decompress and just exist for a bit before we move onto the next thing on our ever-growing to-do list. When life seems to get a little overwhelming, its important to find something that makes all of our worries and issues melt away for a few moments.

The last few years of my life have been riddled with major changes and circumstances where it felt like I was moving a hundred miles an hour. I often felt overwhelmed with uncertainty, anxiety and many other emotions mixed in. Since driving tends to relax me, I started going for short drives down some of the roads surrounding my house. I live in a rural area so some of the roads are paved and some are not. I eventually found the place in this picture and it has since turned into my go to spot.  Well, at least when snow and ice aren’t covering the dirt road leading to it. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of year it is, this creek and the entire forest around it are just beautiful to me. There is a stillness here that I find precious because it can be so rare.

When I was traveling all over central Pennsylvania for hospice, if I had a particularly intense day or just a day where my anxiety threatened to get the best of me, I would meander to this spot before heading home for the day.  Listening to the birds chirping, the river flowing, and the leaves rustling seems to calm me in a way that is almost hard to completely explain. It was as if I needed a dose of nature to feed my mind and soul before heading back to my life.

I believe nature is pretty amazing and can teach us on many levels if we only pay attention. From the forest itself to the animals that inhabit it, we can still learn much about life. Each time I go to that spot, I seem to either find the strength I need to face whatever obstacle is in front of me or my mind quiets to a point where I can think about my problem in a new light.

Maybe you already have a spot like this of your own. It doesn’t have to be outside. Maybe there is something else that will help you to find that sense stillness. What works for me may not necessarily work for you. We all need time to decompress and process the stuff going on in our day to day lives. Not only is it important for our sanity but its essential for our own growth.

If you are looking for ways to decompress and find stillness in your life, here are some ideas.

• Find or create your own quiet spot

For some people, having an area that is just yours to find solace and to just be for a while can be quite cathartic. For me, it’s the area I describe above but maybe for you its an area in your home where you create it with things that help you feel calm and peaceful. Maybe you have some cushions, a comfy chair, some candles, etc. Maybe its in the bathroom taking a bubble bath. Find what works for you!

• Exercise

A lot of people that find running or some form of exercise quite useful not only for their physical health but for their mental, emotional and spiritual health as well. For a lot of people, whether it be yoga, aerobics, weightlifting, etc., physical movement is the perfect thing for them to clear the mind. 

• Bury yourself in music

Music has the power to instill the entire spectrum of emotions in us. It can make us feel happy, sad, even angry sometimes. Music can help lift us and feel understood in times when words seem to fall short. Sometimes a lift in our mood is what we need to be able to see things more clearly. This is something that works quite well for me. When I’m really feeling down, sometimes letting out my inner teenager and listening to my *NSYNC Christmas Album is the perfect thing. Call it one of my weird quirks but no matter the time of year, it never fails to perk me up. #noshame

• Meditation

One of these days, I’m going to do a full blog post regarding this topic because I keep bringing this up. I apologize if this seems repetitive but there are so many positive benefits to meditation. According to the Mayo Clinic, research shows that meditation can help reduce anxiety and depression as well as help manage symptoms of conditions such as insomnia, heart disease, pain, cancer and digestive problems when combined with conventional medicine.¹ There are apps, YouTube videos and books that provide guided meditations and exercises to get you started. Meditation can be as simple as sitting and letting your mind focus on your breathing while you let idle thoughts pass through your mind. Some people find meditating in silence works best for them while others, like me, find that some sort of background music or noise works better for them. The key is to start in small increments. Don’t sit down and decide you are going to meditate for the first time for 45 minutes. I don’t know about you, but for me, I think that would be a quick way to drive myself nuts!

• Mindless task

Some people find that they clear their head by finding a task to do that forces them to think of only that task and not the million and one things on your to do list. Whether it be house cleaning, videogames, or even adult coloring books, finding something simple to do can help us clear our minds.

What are some ways that help you relax and unwind? Tell me about them in the comments! I’d love to hear from you!

Citations:

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/about/pac-20385120