5 Daily Activities to Reset Yourself
February 29, 2020, marks a leap year, a day which only comes every 4 years. A leap year occurs every four years to help synchronize the calendar year with the solar year. Or, the length of time it takes the earth to complete its orbit around the sun, which is about 365¼ days. Essentially, it is a special day to reset and re-align. This is a great practice for us to take as well, here are different resets you can do in 15 minutes or less every day!
Go for a walk
Our bodies crave sunlight and being in nature reduces anger and fear. Walking in a park is a terrific way to reset your body and mind after an exhausting or stressful period of your life. Pick a day and time for waking; no electronics just you, nature and maybe a friend. If you don’t feel like walking try another activity, but make sure it is surrounded by nature.
Practice mindfulness
Pick a time, once a day, and do a self-check in. How is your body feeling? Start at your toes and over the course of a few minutes work your way up to the top of your head. Feel your blood circulating in your body, your breath entering and leaving your lungs. Is anything sore? Are you clenching your jaw? As you do this body scan allow your body to soften and relax.
Journal
You have probably heard me mention this before, but take time out of your day to journal. Put all your emotions down on a page. Anything that stresses you and, of course, all the joy you want. Don’t censor yourself, allow the words to fall onto the page. You can go back and read the previous weeks entries and start looking for patterns. Do certain situations trigger stress? As you begin to see patterns you can work on strategies to manage stress.
Be Gracious
Write down three things you are grateful for. Spend some time thinking about how this person or thing makes your life better. If it is a person, write them a note or tell them you are grateful for them. You will find that by practicing gratitude you will become more joyous. You will also see themes pop up about what makes you happy. Find ways to put more of that theme in your life!
De-clutter and clean
There is an almost spiritual Zen from having a de-cluttered and clean space to be in. Have time at the end of your day for simple cleaning or tidying parts of your life. This could be a room in your home, it could be files on your computer, or your desk at work. Whatever it is, put purposeful intention behind the cleansing of it. Clutter can cause stress and your mind will sense relief as it dissipates.
Whether you choose one of these activities or another to help you reset on a routine basis, I am certain you will find stress leave you, and calmness fill its place.