690. 10 Ways to Have More Calm in Your Life, by Rynna Ollivier, in Meridian Magazine
This is right on target! Great ways to be more calm! I have had some wonderful family experiences this last week, and will write about them next.
10 Ways to Have More Calm in Your Life
Recently at a community outreach health conference the guest speaker, a highly regarded doctor at a major medical center, talked about how he has treated more patients with stress related illnesses in the last five years than in his entire medical career. The list of ailments was extensive and troubling.
Conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, asthma, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, eating disorders, gastrointestinal problems, diabetes, headaches, chronic body aches, autoimmune disease and Alzheimer’s are now believed to have a major stress component to them. According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, sixty to eighty percent of all physician visits are for stress-related issues.
Stress not only makes us feel anxious and awful, but it exacerbates any and all health conditions. When you’re stressed your body responds physiologically. Your blood vessels constrict, your blood pressure and pulse rise, you breathe faster and your bloodstream is flooded with cortisol and adrenaline––“fight or flight” hormones––which can cause serious health issues if prolonged.
He then said his advice to everyone is to slow down, calm down and look for ways to simplify and de-stress our lives. If not, we are going to find ourselves critically ill early in life, aging much faster than normal and dying prematurely. It was definitely a wake up call to everyone who heard him speak.
As I thought about how to apply the good doctor’s wise counsel to my own life, I found myself thinking about his admonition to calm down. We hear the words simplify, slow down and de-stress all the time, but not often the word calm.
The Savior’s Calming Touch
I tend to associate the word calm with the Savior. He calmed the stormy waters of Galilee restoring peace to the elements. He cast out devils from people agitated and tormented with evil spirits leaving them calm and peaceful, free from physical, mental and emotional suffering. He calmed the anxieties and fears of his disciples during His final hours telling them “peace be unto you.” He reassured and calmed Martha and Mary’s aching hearts before He raised their beloved brother from the dead. He healed a woman who suffered with a blood disease, restoring to her wellness, comfort and calm; no longer to be stressed, debilitated or drained by an illness which had plagued her for twelve years. And He has calmed my troubled heart many times, lifting my burdens as only He can do.
Thus the Savior’s entire ministry was about healing and calming. Healing sin sick souls, anxiety, sorrow, fear, infirmities and suffering; blessing all beset with such afflictions physical, emotional and spiritual renewal … peace and calm. Without question, our precious Savior desires these same blessings for each of us.
But unfortunately in today’s world, life is everything but peaceful and calm. Life has become supercharged, volatile and uncertain. I believe one of the main contributors to these stressful times is technology, its continuous acceleration and the pace which it imposes on us to live.
Consider the incredible speed of information available today. The smart phone in your pocket or purse provides a better communication tool than the President of the United States had 15 years ago, provides you and me with access to more data than the President had 10 years ago, and has more computer power than all of NASA back in 1969 when it sent two astronauts to the moon (See,Your Smartphone Is Millions of Times More Powerful Than All of NASA’s Combined Computing in 1969; ZME Science, October 15, 2013)!
Technology definitely impacts the shape and quality of our lives. For instance, something can happen in a remote area of the world and in seconds it’s all over the news, Internet and social media! There isn’t any tragedy, crisis or threat that we don’t know about instantly. But with this heightened state of awareness also comes increased fear, anxiety, worry, a sense of hopelessness and uncertainty about life and the future.
So how do we avoid stress related illnesses and live lives of peace and calm in this fast paced, demanding and troubled world?
Here are some suggestions that will help achieve greater calm and serenity in life. They may appear too simple or insignificant at first glance, but don’t underestimate them. Give them a try. You have better health and happiness to gain and absolutely nothing to lose.
How To Have More Calm In Your Life
1. Take time each day to look at pictures that inspire “Awe of God”. Tablet magazine (an American Jewish online magazine) printed an interesting article by Alden Solovy about using the power of visual connections––photos reflecting family, awe of God and the wonder of creation––to increase peace, calm, spirituality and deepen the prayer experience.
After reading about this I decided to try it, see if it made a difference … and it does! I found that before kneeling in prayer if I look at images of the universe from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, paintings or photographic depictions of Jesus’ miracles, beautiful landscapes or photos of God’s holy Temples, I feel more spiritually ready to pray.
But I’ve also found that when life’s challenges start getting me down, if I look at these same images, just for a few minutes, I feel stress start to dissipate, my spirit calmed and lifted. We’ve all heard the quote, “A picture is worth a thousand words?” Well, in this case it’s worth a thousand messages of the glory, majesty, power of God and His incomprehensible love for us. God is our father, we are His children, this earthly sojourn is part of His Great Plan of Happiness; His work and glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life, and in this knowledge we can find peace and calm.
2. Turn off the television, computer and cell phones one evening a week for the entire night. There is a growing and serious public health hazard acknowledged and addressed by both the medical community and technology industry. It’s been shown that the light from TV and computer screens interrupts or prevents deep, restorative sleep and increases agitation, anxiety, depression and weakens the immune system.
A 2011 University of Cambridge study (along with Stanford University studies) found that in addition to increased agitation, anxiety and depression, one in three people are overwhelmed by technology and social media. The study also found that technology-related stress was correlated with increased feelings of life dissatisfaction, jealousy, resentment and anger. More unexpected are studies published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showing a loss of empathy with a higher risk of illness and premature death.
So do your mind, body and spirit a favor––one night a week shut all electronics and tech off! Grab a good book and read, listen to beautiful music, study the gospel, visit with family members, play with a pet, write a letter, or just sit back and relax in front of a cozy fire. It’s all good and will restore your well being and sense of calm.
3. Stop multitasking … do one thing at a time. Are you the kind of person that has to be doing lots of things at the same time? If so, try a calmer approach for a week and focus on just one thing. You might discover not only do you feel less anxious, stressed and that you have fewer headaches, but you’re actually more productive.
4. Leave yourself plenty of time to get somewhere. This is a big one for many. Rushing to leave, then rushing to get there all the while worrying about being on time creates tremendous anxiety, much more than you realize. With just a little advanced planning you can give yourself an extra ten to fifteen minutes to get wherever you’re going punctually, unstressed, calm and collected. Your heart and stomach will thank you!
5. Slow down. Become aware of how fast you do everything; how fast you move or even talk, then focus on slowing down your pace. You don’t need to speed walk everywhere. You miss so much around you when you rush through life.
When you consciously choose to slow down your physical movement, your brain sends a signal to your entire body to slow down. This total sense of calm is one of the benefits of Yoga and meditation, as opposed to the endorphin rush you experience in a brisk cardio workout.
6. Step outside for some healing. There really is something healing and calming about being outdoors, even if it’s just for five minutes. A “breath of fresh air,” as well as the sights and sounds that are part of nature, will soothe your nerves and feed your soul.
Studies have shown that too much time indoors can be harmful to your health. It has been associated with depression and a lack of Vitamin D (sunshine being the best source) which weakens the immune system and neuromuscular system.
According to the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality & Healing, “Your environment plays a vital role in your stress levels. Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, can reduce feelings of anger, fear, anxiety and increase pleasant, calm and peaceful feelings. It also contributes to physical well-being by reducing blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rate and the production of stress hormones.”
Furthermore, Dr. Marc Berman and fellow researchers at the University of Michigan discovered that performance on memory and attention tests improved by 20 percent after they had their study subjects take a pause for a walk in nature (see Research Shows Nature Helps with Stress).These are significant findings considering the rise in Dementia and Alzheimer’s. So do your mind and body a favor and step outside as often as you can.
7. Do more deep breathing. Deep thoughtful breathing (inhale slowly through your nose, then exhale––blowing out slowly through your mouth) is the quickest fix to lessen stress and anxiety. Deep steady breathing is the key to releasing the body’s natural relaxation response. The American Institute of Stress reports “Deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of calmness.”
The wonderful thing about breathing therapy is that it is something you can do whenever and wherever you are. It’s your body’s own natural anti anxiety remedy and really does work magic. A few minutes of deep breathing can buffer your brain and body against stress, calm frazzled nerves and reduce tension.
8. Let go of anger and forgive. Make peace with the past, let it go and forgive! Forgive yourself, your family, friends, coworkers, past loves, neighbors and anyone else who might be at the core of your anger, hurt and turmoil. If you need help to do this, then get help. Your health, happiness and well being depend on it. So much so, that the anger, resentment and animosity you feel, which continuously simmers and stews in your body, could end up destroying you physically and spiritually (See Forgiveness: Letting Go of Grudges and Bitterness; Mayo Clinic, Healthy Lifestyle).
9. Make sure you get enough sleep. Nothing will rob you quicker of peace and calm than not getting enough sleep. Studies show that sleep increases calmness, rationality, makes you more alert, less anxious and fearful, happier and better able to handle the stress that just seems to come with life. It also plays a critical role in healing both body and mind. Research over the years has shown that people can be physically and psychologically damaged from not getting enough sleep. In fact, the damage is so apparent that it is unethical to coercively deprive someone of sleep.
“If a person is deprived of sleep, it can lead to tremendous emotional problems, with significantly reduced functioning of brain activity. Even a low level of sleep deprivation has an impact on cognitive and emotional function” says Dr. Steven Feinsilver, the director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. “But what many people do not realize is that a lack of sleep—especially on a regular basis—is associated with long-term health consequences that may lead to a shortened life expectancy.”
10. Make the Sabbath a day of calm, renewal and peace. President Russell M. Nelson said in his April 2015 Conference address titled, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” that a more thoughtful observance of the Sabbath will not only provide a much needed and welcome change from the rest of the week’s busy activities, but it will provide physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Who of us could not use the healing touch of the Master’s Hand?
In addition to the above blessings, obedience to the Law of the Sabbath promises renewal, lasting joy and that the fulness of the earth will be ours (See Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–10, 13, 15–16). That’s quite a promise!
Be Still and Know That I Am God
The most important reason to reduce the frantic pace of life is to come to know and feel the presence of our Father in Heaven. How desperately we need His calming influence, His calming presence!
“God is our refuge and strength—He dwells in His City, does marvelous things, and says, Be still and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10, italics added for emphasis).
There should be no question after reading this scripture that If we want to know God we must be still, calm, prepared for quiet contemplation and communication. Otherwise, how can we hear His soft whisperings and promptings if we are always on the move or surrounded by continual noise? We can’t … it’s impossible!
Consider the Prophet Elijah’s encounter with the Lord in 1 Kings.
And he said, Go forth, and stand [be still] upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah (1 Kings 19:11-13, brackets and italics added for emphasis)?
It has always thrilled me to read this account between Elijah and the Lord. Can you imagine hearing the Lord call you by name and asking why you have come before Him … what is it that you need?
But perhaps the most important message to glean from this scripture is that no matter how tumultuous and frightening things become in life, the Lord is with us. And that He communicates with us softly, calmly. Thus we must be still, quiet and attentive to hear Him.
So to all who seek help and personal blessings, guidance and direction in the affairs of life, the Lord has told us that the answer will come by a “still small voice” (see Enos 1:5,10), and we must “be still” to hear that small voice.
Although there are many more ideas how to slow down, de-stress and bring more calm into your life, the suggestions in this article are a good place to start. They are simple and don’t require any major life change to implement them, but they are life changing! You will find that you are more calm, have better health, and enjoy a greater sense of peace and overall well-being.
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