“THE SOUNDS YOU HEAR DETERMINE THE FEELINGS YOU EXPERIENCE.”
Have you ever woken up to absolute silence, a beautiful stillness – that perfect morning where you sense nothing but peace? Inhaling the fresh morning dew and then slowly exhaling sinks you deeper into a goose-down comforter. You fluff the pillow, roll over on your side, and move your feet to that perfect warm spot, then pull the covers up to your neck.
What if I told you that these moments of luxurious tranquility don’t have to be random? We can create them. I certainly did. Silence is essential in the morning to stimulate the release of cortisol, which helps us cope with stressful situations. Instead of reaching for the phone, as I used to do, I now take time to be still. It takes ten minutes to lower your cortisol level. Spend the first ten minutes of the day watching the sunrise while sipping a steaming hot cup of tea. Enjoy this moment of silence. This is the cornerstone of refocusing your mind. The key is to give yourself the time, space, and permission to press that reset button. Not just once, but every morning.
Personally, I spend this time praying and thanking God for my many blessings. A friend of mine uses this time to count the different bird songs as she sits on her porch sipping her hot caramel coffee. She confessed that the secret of a quiet morning is intention. Carve out a time every day to stop, be calm, and listen. I’ve found that by leaving myself open in that stillness, I’m able to find gratitude for every positive thing in my life as well as find peace with the losses I’ve experienced.
Take a moment. Take a breath. You can even try the CALM app with guided meditation, natural sounds, peaceful music, and soothing bedtime stories.
Our five senses collaborate to paint a complete picture of our environment. The moment we step outside, we put this principle into action. Fully experience the moment. Take note of all the sensations. Are you witnessing a colorful sunrise or hearing water rushing over rocks in a stream? If it’s fall, grasp some fallen leaves.
When we pay attention to the convergence of our senses, we will experience something new everywhere we go. Data collected by our sensory organs helps our brain understand how diverse and dynamic our surroundings are. This is key to making decisions and even memories. Now, it’s time to create the environment your senses need to bring you that cozy comfort. Gather information about the sounds, textures, sights, smells, and tastes around you. Ground yourself.
SOUNDS
It’s official: nature relaxes as well as nurtures. Most people would agree that listening to natural sounds provides a sense of comfort. Nature sounds, like waves crashing, birds singing, or a fire crackling, can transport you to a tranquil oasis. If you’re looking for immediate audio-stimulated relaxation, you can’t go wrong with soothing nature sounds.
TEXTURE
The benefits of working with your hands, with such activities as kneading dough, knitting, or crafting, are instant. Engaging in activities like this provides a rewarding peripheral dedication, easing the mind in the process. Doing something repetitive can be very calming. If you’re more of the fidgety type, don’t worry- texture can be as simple as holding a book in your hands or petting a furry friend.
SIGHTS
Seeing the same environment every day isn’t visually stimulating. It leads to a sense of monotony, which can build anxiety. Thus, leave your comfort zone! Go out and explore. Perhaps you feel most relaxed while walking through the neighborhood, biking on a trail, or sightseeing. Seeing new places offers a welcome sense of perspective and serenity when you return to your everyday activities. If you are unable to get out physically and move around, movies and documentaries are great for this.
SMELL
Aromatherapy is the use of scents to affect your mood and wellness. It is a simple improvement anyone can create without even leaving their home. Candles, incense, air fresheners, and fabric softener are just a few regular yet pleasant adjustments. It’s amazing how much more at ease we feel in a new environment. Pleasant fragrances can transport us to pleasant memories. The smell of pine, for example, always reminds me of the smell of our Christmas tree on Christmas morning.
TASTE
The term comfort food refers to home-cooked meals, such as the kind at holiday dinners: turkey, noodles, mashed potatoes, etc. Still, we can define our comfort food. What foods and drinks provide the most satisfaction and comfort? Everyone’s answer will differ. Finding happiness and relaxation in food is simple, and it can even be a therapeutic process with a gratifying result if you really try.
Of course, many of these activities involve more than one sense at a time, which works to increase our satisfaction. The main point is to immerse ourselves in something pleasant without distractions such as mobile phones or computers. We don’t have to wait for stress before practicing these self-soothing activities. Instead, we can build new, healthy habits to nurture ourselves and reduce the impact of stress.
ACTIVATION EXERCISES
❧ Set a reasonable time limit on your social media usage. Decide ahead of time when and where you will use your social media apps. This will help to reduce impulsive urges to check your social media throughout the day. Retire your phone at a certain time each day, and make sure your phone isn’t the first thing you look at when you wake up.
❧ If you are a person who uses social media all the time, try downloading a free app that is soothing, such as a white noise app or meditation app.
❧ Start taking concrete steps to reduce clutter in your home and workspace. Take time to reflect on how each item in your space makes you feel, and remove items that are no longer needed.
❧ Think about what opportunities you will have throughout the day to soothe your senses, and take full advantage of these moments. Be present in the moment and enjoy the sensory delights that life has to offer.
❧ Set ten to fifteen minutes aside for time to hand journal your thoughts and feelings each day. Use this time to start getting to know yourself and recognize your needs. This is a great practice in mindfulness.
