Have you ever thought about how much information we take in throughout our day? Radio broadcasts, television shows, information shared verbally, words in print, images, and songs, all these sources continue to play in our heads hours after we encounter them.
As we take a moment to eat dinner, relax at the end of the day or lie in bed, our minds continually process all the input from our day. Such mental clutter leaves us feeling unsettled consciously and subconsciously.
Often, the activities we pick to help us to relax or decompress only add to the clutter within. For instance, watching television, reading a book, or talking to a friend or spouse only has us taking in more information.
I encourage you to be aware of the above and instead allow yourself to make time to draw your attention inward to the sensations of the breath in our bodies, slowing our mental activity enough that our minds begin to settle. Take a walk, do some stretching or yoga, practice deep breathing exercises, or stare at the night sky and stars.
The key is to draw your attention away from mental activity. Once you are mentally relaxed, you can begin the process of clearing the mind of all its clutter. Daily setting aside time to clear the mind over time can become second nature, with less effort. The mind becomes more open and receptive to new experiences, new information because it is free of yesterday’s clutter.
I encourage you to give it a try this week!
