Introduction
“My mind is telling me no, but my body is telling me yes.” The battle between your head and your body can be a difficult one. Your brain might be saying “no” to something you want to do, but your gut is saying “yes.” It’s hard to know which part of yourself to trust. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and let fear rule our lives. We put off taking risks or doing things that could benefit us because we’re afraid of what might happen. But what if we just did it? What if we stopped being so afraid of failure and started believing that everything happens for a reason?
If you’re anything like me, your mind is constantly in motion. It’s telling you to do this and that, not to mention all the things it doesn’t want you to do. And it’s a lot—it seems like there’s always something going on up there. From the moment I wake up until I go to bed at night (and sometimes even when I’m asleep), my mind is full of thoughts about everything from what happened yesterday at work to whether or not I’ll be able to fit into my jeans again (spoiler alert: probably not).
But here’s the thing: if we’re being honest with ourselves, those aren’t really useful thoughts! They don’t help us get anything done or make life easier; they just keep us distracted from living in the present moment and enjoying life as much as possible. So today let’s talk about how we can quiet our minds so that we can focus more on what matters most for each one of us individually, because hey—when was the last time you felt truly calm?
Also read: Talk and treat yourself like someone you love.
I know the secret to the quiet mind
“I don’t want to do this.”, “It’s too hard.”, “I can’t do it.”, “I’ll never get there.” My mind is telling me no, but my heart is saying yes! It’s a voice I’ve learned to recognize—a voice that often tells me things like, “Don’t try that new thing,” or “You can’t do that,” or even, “You’re not good enough.” This voice has been around for as long as I can remember, but it’s only in recent years that I’ve really begun to understand how much it impacts my life.
It’s one of the most common challenges we face: our minds are telling us no, but our gut is saying yes. How can we quiet that voice in our head and listen to our inner knowing?
Spend time in nature
One of the best ways to quiet your mind is to spend time in nature. Nature is a great source of positive energy, and spending time outdoors helps you relax, get in touch with yourself, and take a break from the usual hustle and bustle of city life.
When you’re surrounded by nature, it can be difficult to focus on any one thing for long. But getting outside—even if it’s just for an hour or so—is a great way to connect with yourself and come back into the present moment.
Also read: Discover the 7 Mindsets To Master your Life.
Meditate
Meditation is the best way to quiet your mind. You can do it anywhere and at any time, with or without music, and in groups or alone. There’s no right way to meditate: the only rules are that you should be comfortable and focused on your breath.
When you meditate, your mind will naturally wander. This is normal! Don’t try to stop it from wandering; instead, just observe where the thoughts go and then let them pass by like clouds in the sky.
It’s time to take back control of our lives by taking back control of our minds.
Stop multitasking
One of the best ways to quiet your mind is to stop multitasking. In an age where we think we can do everything at once, multitasking has become a myth. If you’re trying to focus on two things at once, your brain is actually only focusing on one of them. The other task will be performed poorly and less effectively because it’s being done as a background task that requires less energy than full attention.
If you want to get something done right, give it all your attention and focus. Your brain will respond by performing better because it knows that its energy is being dedicated specifically toward its task at hand—and not split between several different tasks at once!
Exercise
Exercise is a natural stress reliever that can help you feel more at ease. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, try taking a walk, doing some yoga or stretching, going for a run, or even just making time to sit outside in nature.
When I’m feeling overwhelmed by my thoughts and emotions I like to go for a long walk by myself in nature as this helps me feel connected with my body and the world around me. It’s much easier for the mind to focus on something physical rather than thinking about myself!
Exercise is a natural stress reliever that can help you feel more at ease. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, try taking a walk, doing some yoga or stretching, going for a run, or even just making time to sit outside in nature. When I’m feeling overwhelmed by my thoughts and emotions I like to go for a long walk by myself in nature as this helps me feel connected with my body and the world around me
Spend time with people you care about
You might not be able to control some of the thoughts and feelings that come up for you, but you can control how much time you spend with other people.
Let’s be honest: We’re all doing our best at this whole “life” thing. And sometimes, it’s hard to feel good about yourself when others are around who seem to have their shit together more than you do. But in my experience, there’s nothing that makes me feel happier or more positive than spending time with people who care about me—and vice versa. I’ve found that when I spend time with positive people who show up for me, they help me remember why it’s important for me to show up for myself too.
Create positive affirmations you can say to yourself
- Use the present tense, such as “I am.”
- Inject some passion into your voice and speak with conviction.
- Make sure that your affirmations are specific—for example, state how long you’ll be able to remain in a meditative state (15 minutes) or what physical action you will take once you’re done meditating (going for a walk).
When your mind is telling you no, affirm yourself by saying the following: -I am not my thoughts. I know what’s important and what I need to do today. -I will not let myself get distracted by negativity. -I am strong enough to ignore these negative thoughts that are trying to distract me from what really matters in my life.
Focus on the present moment
The most effective way to quiet your mind is by focusing on the present moment. The past and future are full of thoughts that can distract you from what’s happening now, which can cause feelings of anxiety and stress.
To focus better, try this simple exercise:
- Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in through your nose, then exhale through your mouth until there’s no more breath left in you. As you breathe out for the last time, count to two; let go of any tension or thoughts that have been swirling around inside your head until that point—and notice what’s happening right now.
There is a way to quiet your mind, and you can start doing it today
The mind is a powerful thing. It can tell you to do amazing things, and it can also tell you to do the most ridiculous things.
There is a way to quiet your mind, and you can start doing it today.
It’s not easy. It takes practice. But if you start now and persevere, you will get better at it, feel better, be happier, be more productive and healthier as a result of having your thoughts under control (or at least in check).
Get a Plan
To avoid stress and negative emotions, it’s important to know what you want to accomplish. If you’re stressed about your workload, it can help to make a plan for how much time you will spend on each task and when. This way, you can prioritize the things that are most important to you and schedule them during times when distractions are fewest. As an added bonus: once you get started with a project, it can be more enjoyable if it’s scheduled into your routine rather than waiting until “the last minute.”
Shut Off Your Gadgets
Turning off your gadgets is a powerful way to quiet your mind and clear the clutter.
I know this sounds counterintuitive, but there’s something liberating about unplugging from our devices and actually being present in the moment. When we’re constantly checking our phones or listening to music while doing other things, we aren’t fully immersed in what’s happening right now. Instead of being truly engaged with the person we’re with or focused on what we’re doing, we’re distracted by thoughts about other people (and if you need proof of how bad this habit is for you, check out this article). The next time you go out for dinner with friends or family members who interact with each other without looking at their phones every 10 seconds or so, take note of how much more enjoyable it feels compared to when everyone was glued to their screens throughout dinner. It really changes things!
Another benefit of turning off technology is that those who do so often report feeling calmer than those who don’t—and why wouldn’t they? Being able to shut down all distractions allows us some peace and quiet so that we can focus on our own thoughts without any outside influences getting in the way
Release Negative Emotions
When you’re holding onto a negative emotion, it’s like you’re carrying an extra weight around with you. You might not realize that it’s there until someone asks how your day is going. Then all of a sudden, the weight is there and it feels heavy and burdensome. Releasing negative emotions helps to lighten that load so that you can move forward with a more positive mindset in life.
The best way to release negative emotions is through writing them down on paper or typing them into your computer’s document section (aka doc). Write down exactly what happened during your day when the event occurred—then write about how this made you feel, including any other emotions that came up for you during or after the event occurred (like anger, sadness, frustration).
When writing these things down and describing them fully in detail as objectively as possible without getting overly emotional about them (which only serves as fuel for more negativity), then those feelings will become less intense over time as they fade away from memory rather than being remembered every single day when thinking back on events from years ago!
Have a Favorite Place for Solitude
Have a favorite place for solitude, where you can go to when your mind is telling you no, or when you need to be alone.
It could be a spot in the woods or beach, at home in your bedroom or on the back porch, even just a chair in your living room. When I was feeling overwhelmed by life and needed to escape from my thoughts and circumstances I would sometimes just sit on top of our house’s roof and look out at the hills around us. Sometimes it was nice just knowing that there were other people around me — but even if nobody else was nearby (which wasn’t often), I could relax enough that my mind felt less chaotic and crowded with thoughts.
Appreciate the Quiet Moments
To quiet your mind, you have to appreciate the quiet moments.
This is a hard concept for some people to grasp. We tend to think of silence as something negative or lacking—as something we need to fill with noise and activity. But if you can get over this mindset and instead see silence as a positive thing in itself, then it becomes easier to use that time for reflection and meditation.
You can even schedule time into your day just for appreciating these moments of peace so they feel planned rather than accidental or unexpected. If you do this regularly enough, it will become habit-forming: eventually you’ll start looking forward to those moments when everything slows down around you—and soon enough, even when things are going crazy around you (which happens all too often), those few minutes of calm will still be available anytime they’re needed most!
Make sure your mind is quiet when you want it to be
It’s natural, and even beneficial, to have a busy mind. Your brain is constantly processing information and feelings—it’s what makes us human. But sometimes our minds are too noisy and we can’t focus on the things that matter most in our lives: relationships, goals, values. If your brain is telling you no when it comes to being present in the moment (or trying new things), here are three ways to help quiet your thoughts for good:
- Take control of your time and space
- Make time for silence every day
- Meditate regularly
Conclusion
Your mind is telling you no. When you think about a situation, your brain is trying to help you make the best possible choice. This means that when you feel like your mind is saying no, it’s actually just trying to help you make a good decision by giving you information about what could go wrong if you choose that option.
It’s not always easy to see this happening in real time, but if you pay attention, it will become clear that there is always something going on behind the scenes in your brain when it comes to decision-making. Your mind isn’t always right, but its goal is always to help you make good choices!
I hope these tips help you quiet your mind and find peace. If you follow them, it will be easier to focus on the present moment, which can be a challenge at times. However, when we are able to stay focused on what we’re doing—whether it’s meditating or working out—we feel more empowered and less stressed about our busy lives. You don’t have time for that? Well then maybe take a five-minute break from whatever task is stressing you out today so that tomorrow starts off with a fresh perspective!
So, there you have it. These are my thoughts on how to quiet your mind and all the things that can help you do so. If you’re suffering from anxiety, stress or any kind of negative emotions then I strongly recommend finding a way to manage these emotions before they overwhelm you. You may want to try some of the things mentioned above as well as other techniques such as meditation or exercise!
