Embracing Stillness: Simple Steps to Quiet the Mind

There's an art to finding peace in our hectic lives. NTD's Gina Marie has some simple steps to embrace stillness and quiet the mind, your strong mind and body. There's a saying, the quieter you become the more you are able to hear. But for most of us there's really a moment in the day when we stop moving and stop the noise. We're working, we're moving, we're driving, we're listening to things on our headphones, we're watching things, we're also filling up the little spaces by checking our phones. It's a human tendency to want to be busy and productive. We tend to want to fill every space with something useful or entertaining. So how do we become quiet? Here are a few ideas. Number one, slow down for at least a few minutes physically. Refrain from moving around or doing tasks on your computer or phone. Just sit or come to some kind of stillness or slowness. Number two, aim for meditation, prayer or nature therapy. Go for a quiet walk in nature, sit watching the sunset or lie in a hammock and just feel the breeze. Number three, take a break from technology. At least for a few minutes disconnect. Let go of reading or listening too. Just sit still or move slowly. Don't try to get anything done or consume anything. Number four, let go of being productive or entertained. You don't need to achieve anything, prove anything or be excited about anything. Let go of these kinds of compulsions even for a few minutes. Number five, embrace boredom, loneliness, sadness or helplessness. We do everything we can to avoid these feelings but let's allow ourselves to feel however we feel. This gives us freedom. We are not meant to feel great all the time anyway. In closing, a few words of wisdom from Lao Tzu, in the stillness and quiet you might just hear life's deeper message.