Category: Essays

Without doubt the most difficult ongoing task in the journey of living a life of intention, is that of clearing the mind of negative thoughts and emotions. These things clutter the mind, robbing us of peace and focus. I myself frequently struggle with this, as this is has no destination, it’s just an ongoing journey. This is something we cannot  “beat ourselves up” over, because it is human nature to dwell on the negative.

    There are however some common practices we can implement in our lives to help us on this journey:

1. Healthy body, healthy mind. – With regular exercise, and a healthy diet, we improve the mind in every way. We become more rational, understanding, and more joyful.
2. becoming more Mindful – Through practices like Meditation and Yoga, one can improve their ability to be more aware of where they are and what they are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around them.
3. Apply the THINK method in all that we say – Everybody knows that our thoughts influence our actions, but what we often forget (or fail to realize) is that this concept works in reverse too. Improve our actions, and our thoughts and attitude will soon follow. It is for this reason I recommend the THINK method in all social interactions. That is, before we say something we should THINK about what we are going to say.

            Is what we have to say …

• • True
  • Helpful
  • Inspiring
  • Necessary
  • Kind

                Before a single conversation point is spoken, it must match this criteria.

I am always seeking new tools to assist in journey of mental stability/peace. I have found many. Most are too much of a time commitment for what they offer, and others haven’t worked to well at all (not for me anyway). These tolls above however, have been invaluable, and the results are immediate.

Through my years I have learned through trial and error some wonderful habits that have been invaluable toward maintaining a healthy, peaceful, and low stress life. they have been solace during times of depression, a boost during times of laziness, and offered hope during times of hopelessness. I would very much like to share these habits in the hopes they can help others:

 

Sunshine – An absolute MUST every single day. I go outside and let the sun shine on me. Even if only for 15 minutes (no less than that). Cloudy day? Doesn’t matter. The sun still shines through the clouds. It only means I have to stay out even longer. There is of course the benefit of vitamin D, but I am convinced it is so much more than that. The sun has a way of lifting my spirits, reminding me that I am loved, and reassuring me that whatever my issues/problems are, they’re insignificant in the bigger picture.

Water – I drink water and lots of it. I am not going to go over all the benefits having a persistent water drinking habit, but I will say that we are healthier in every way with a water habit. I am not going to say that lack of water causes illness, but I will say that for most illnesses out there, had the person had a water consumption rhythm, illness would have been avoided. Most illness happens when the body is unable to fight a threat, but in order to do that the body needs some necessary elements. Water is the primary of these.

Exercise – Not an every day practice for me, but at least three times a week.  For me, this is full on cardio. I ride bicycle or I am in spin class. If I can’t do either of those, I am running. This is a practice I enjoy very much, and THAT is the key. Exercise becomes consistent when it is something we can enjoy. I strongly suggest everyone find an physically active activity that they can enjoy, and keep a steady habit of it. One that gets the heart rate up, keeps us sweating, and muscles aching. I don’t think I have to sell the health benefits of this; both mental and physical.

Meditation – I take the time daily to relax and contemplate my day/life. Soft contemplation, free of emotion. Then I let go of these thoughts and take the time to let them pass, clear my head and just relax. I incorporate breathing exercises. Meditation is a daily routine for me, for roughly 15 min.

Yoga – This is really just an extension of exercise and meditation combine. I do Yoga on rare occasion in class. But I do have a weekly practice of doing chair/office Yoga while I work. During the course of a work day I will take maybe 15 minutes to do some poses and relieve tension.

Smile – I try to make a conscience effort to do this even if I don’t want to. Seems foolish?? Well I have found that actions can determine attitude. This has been very successful. I have been amazed at how much doing good, has had me feeling good.

Read – The path to assured growth. Always learning. I take an hour, at least three times a week to read. Even if just for entertainment it still contributed to our growth. It expands the mind and imagination. If what we are reading is educational in itself, even better.

Listen to Soothing Music – This i will often do during meditation/contemplation. It helps me focus, helps me relax. 

 

These have been my daily and weekly habits that facilitate my minimalist life of focus and joy. I sincerely hope others will adopt some of these. For those who do, I guarantee results. 

Way back in October 2018 I suffered from insomnia for a short period. Insomnia brought on by anxiety. During this period I did many things to get through this ugly phase, including medication, meditation, Yoga, acupuncture, ASMR, and lifestyle changing/purging. ALL of these things helped. It was ASMR however, that intrigued me the most. Up until that point I had never even heard of ASMR.

For those of you who don’t know, ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. A very complex name for a very simple meaning …… or at least a simple result. ASMR is a way to use sensation (usually through sound, but can also be through touch) to create a feeling of calming, pleasure, and tingling. This sensation starts in/on a persons head, and then spreads down to the rest of the body. ASMR is traditionally administered through sounds. Quiet sounds. The most common sounds used for this are whispers, gentle brushing, tapping, scratching.

I received ASMR through YouTube videos. I would listen to these ASMR artists whisper, and make gentle sound effects with their hands, and it would just lull me to a relaxed state. In time I would fall asleep to them. In the calm and relaxed state leading up to sleep, a connection can be made with the artist. Albeit, the connection is one sided, but one who is susceptible to ASMR can’t deny that there is an intimacy there. Through this experience I learned one undeniable truth: When people are calm and relaxed, if you whisper to them, they are open to listening.

So I have decided to try my hand in ASMR. ASMR is a wonderful platform in which I can deliver my message of Minimalism. As it is, the simplicity of it lends itself to this lifestyle. There is nothing more value added, than making a connection with people. That, plus creating sensation makes for a wonderful experience; those of you who have read my posts before, know how I feel about sensation. I offer connection, sensation, positive affirmation, AND I will be giving my minimalist mantra’s during the videos I’ll be making.

The link to my first ASMR video on YouTube is HERE.

Or you can view the video below.