Much of our well-being depends on our own simple habits. For various reasons, many people are walking around unhappy these days. However, we can be happy by practicing small habits. Today’s discussion is about five habits that will help us stay mentally calm.
Attention
Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening ‘here and now’. That is, being aware of how we feel at this moment, what we are doing, what we want and think. We need to be aware that we do not lose the present moment while running towards the future with old memories in mind. We can practice mindfulness in various ways. For example, eating with the five senses without keeping ourselves busy with anything else while eating. This means paying attention to the color, smell, sound of chewing, and the contact of food with the hands and tongue to enjoy the food. Similarly, mindfulness can be practiced by doing other tasks such as bathing, exercising, meditation, and various tasks at home and outside with full attention. This practice keeps our body and mind calm, increases brain function, and helps us enjoy life to the fullest. Nowadays, smartphone addiction has become the main obstacle to our mindful living. Therefore, it is very important to have restraint and consideration in using smartphones.
Work and rest balance
Work keeps us healthy. Be it work at home or outside. Work or employment is necessary to create our own identity and to be financially independent. Being involved in a job of our choice not only brings comfort and prosperity to our own life, but also allows us to contribute to our family and society. But constantly rushing around in the addiction of work greatly disrupts our physical and mental health. Therefore, it is important to know when and where to stop. Taking short breaks in between work throughout the day, taking at least one day off a week, and getting enough sleep at night help us stay healthy.
Celebrating small achievements
What family, society or people around me expect from me, how far ahead or behind I am from others—avoid these thoughts. What is more important is to think about what I want, what I like, what I enjoy. There may be satisfaction in a life imposed by others, but there is no real peace. Therefore, in our personal and professional lives, we can take care of whether the style and pace of our work are in line with our own preferences. Even small progress in work should be celebrated. Learn to think, just as I can celebrate the successful completion of an important task at the office, I can also celebrate the blooming of a red rose in a carefully cultivated hobby garden.
Practicing gratitude
We can be grateful for what we don’t have, instead of always regretting what we don’t have, and by paying attention to what we do have. Because, if we are not grateful for what we have, where will we get the mental strength to get something new? Yes, practicing gratitude produces hormones that awaken our mental strength. As a result, we can be satisfied and motivated and move forward to get what we don’t have. We can be grateful for small things in life, such as having a house to return to at the end of the day, food in the house, clean clothes, at least one close person, some books and plants. We can thank ourselves for the things we do in our daily lives. We can also express gratitude for the support of others.
Moderation in speaking
It is necessary to be careful that our words do not cause harm or annoyance to others. In this regard, we can remember a saying of the Sufi philosopher Jalaluddin Rumi, ‘Before saying anything, let your words pass through three doors—1. Truth, 2. Necessity, 3. Kindness. In other words, before speaking, ask yourself, is what you are saying true? Is it necessary? Is it kind or sincere? If the answer is ‘yes’, feel free to say it, and if ‘no’, think again.
