TOOLKIT FOR YOUR OWN HEALING

MEDITATION

Meditation is a way to calm down the mind and be present. By being present we mean focused on the here and now and trying not to be distracted by other thoughts. This is difficult and it is normal that other thoughts pop into your head such as what to have for dinner, problems at work and other unresolved issues. The important thing is to acknowledge these thoughts, let them go and return to the here and now and the meditation. With practice it will get easier to do this and relax your mind. And, if you are new to meditation, start with a couple of minutes a day and build up from there.

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There are many ways to meditate and you can even use the tools ‘Connect with Nature’ and ‘Breathing’ as meditation. If, for example, you are taking a 15-30-minute walk through a park, turn this into a walking meditation and use it to relax and pay attention to what is around you: the trees, birds, flowers. Or if you take a walk by the sea, feel the breeze. You could even take a walk through the city and look at the beautiful buildings and pay attention to the people around you. The most important thing is to be present!

BREATHING

Breathing is essential: we need it to live!

However, when we get stressed, nervous, scared or feel anxiety our breathing changes and we might even hold our breath. When we do that, our body and mind react and if we don’t get back to normal breathing as soon as possible, the feeling may get worse. In this situation, take control of your breathing and, by taking deep breaths (as many as you need), you can actually calm yourself down. 

To be able to control your breathing, first focus on your normal breath and notice how you breathe in and out. To do this, sit, stand or lie down and listen to how you breathe. Once you have observed your natural breathing pattern, you can begin to do exercises to help make it deeper and more relaxed.

Yoga is a good way to take care of both your body and your mind.

There are many different practices, and it is important to find the one that suits you.

And, if you are not used to yoga, listen to your body and do what you can: it is not a competition!

REST

It is really important to take a moment for yourself every day: just 10-15 minutes is enough. If taking a moment for yourself makes you feel guilty, please remind yourself that you deserve to take a break and it is important that you take good care of yourself. 

Depending where you are, this could be sitting in your parked car or in nature and just breathing, or listening to your favourite song, or watching a video of funny puppies, or taking that short walk in the park.

SLEEP

To stay healthy both physically and mentally, it is important to sleep well. It is best if you have the same sleeping routine every day, even during the weekends. 

About an hour before you go to bed it is a good idea to turn off your phone and all screens because studies have shown that the light from the screen can have a negative influence on your sleep. You could use this time to read, meditate, reflect on your day or write a journal.

To help get to sleep you can use the “Breathing” and “guided meditation” tools.

HEALTHY EATING

We need to take care of our body and to do this we need to think about what we are putting into it!

Make a note of what you eat one day and think about:

• Did I eat any processed food?

• Did I eat any fast food?

• When cooking, did I cook from scratch using fresh produce?

• What fruit/vegetables/legumes did I eat?

• How much water did I drink?

Take time to find out what is good and works for you and your body and try to avoid processed and fast food. However, it is important not to feel bad or guilty if you eat something ‘unhealthy’ now and then!

EXERCISE

Our body needs exercise to stay healthy and there are so many ways to exercise. Find out what kind of exercise you enjoy doing and what works for you. Maybe it is going to the gym, playing tennis, walking/hiking, dancing, playing in the snow/sand, horseback riding, swimming, doing squats while cooking etc. Even housework can be turned into exercise if you put your favourite dance tracks on!! 

Remember: the best exercise is the one that gets done!

GRATITUDE

Gratitude means being grateful for what you have and scientific research has shown that a gratitude exercise

every day increases your happiness by 25 %. It is easy to see all the things we don’t have or can’t do

and we forget about all the things that we actually have and can do. 

Remind yourself every day to be grateful for the things you have in your life and everything you can do. Maybe you feel grateful that you have food to eat and bed to sleep in, that the sun is shining, that you are alive, that you have people around you who care about you. 

CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING

There are many ways to see a situation and when we are in a dark place it can be difficult to see the positive side of things.  When you notice that you have a “negative” thought, train yourself to add something positive afterwards.

It may be really difficult in the beginning but with practice it will get easier.

Here are some examples:

• It is a rainy and grey day and it makes me feel really depressed, but it is great that the flowers and trees get some water.

• My friend is running late and that makes me feel really irritated but now I have some time to be by myself and maybe enjoy a good book or listen to some music while I’m waiting.

• I’m having a really bad day and I don’t want to get out of bed. It is really good that I have a bed to stay in.

HAVE FUN AND LAUGH

Do things you enjoy and make you feel good. Maybe listen to music, dance, watch a series or a movie that makes you laugh, or play games.  Also, try to be with people that make you feel good!