Tranquility can heal your soul
Tranquility isn't just nice. It's crucial.
An unbroken diet of stress and noise can wreak serious damage on your well-being.
The usual excuses--too busy to take a break, can't relax now, too many obligations--don't cut it. We have to make time for down time. What's more, we have to ruthlessly cut ourselves off from interruptions.
Tranquility cannot be achieved with halfway measures!
Look, this doesn't have to be expensive. It doesn't even have to be far away. You can do it on a park bench or your favorite recliner, as long as you achieve a calm mental state.
If
you're a Christian, prayer or meditation on the Bible can help, but
again, don't just switch from an agitated work mind to an agitated
prayer mind. Here are some tips on taming runaway thoughts.
Single people may find this easier, unless a pet wants attention. Quiet is imperative. Soft, peaceful music is good, nothing loud or strident.
Give yourself permission for this break. It's okay. It's necessary. It's a gift to yourself.
Tips for tranquility:
- Leave every distraction at home. That includes physical, like cell phones and iPods, to mental, like worries and plans. Don't let these intruders disturb your peace.
- Live in the moment. Don't think about past failures or anticipate future problems. Concentrate on enjoying the now.
- Seek somewhere soothing. You won't find rest at a rock concert or in the shopping mall. You don't need to travel to a tropical beach, but find a place where the only sound is natural--from birds, the wind, or silence.
- Don't cheat! No thinking about work allowed--period! This is not a time to solve your problems. It's a time to get away from them. This kind of mental vacation will rejuvenate you so you'll come back sharper and more relaxed. Do not mix problem thoughts with your tranquility time.
Food for Thought is a series of short, tightly focused messages to get you thinking about your life.
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