Sometimes Life can get a bit noisy.
Worries and stresses often crescendo into a cacophony of swirling fears in my consciousness.
As I excitedly await a forthcoming event like a birthday, Christmas, or even an Amazon delivery, the buzz in my head can be non-stop.
My mental list of chores and action points can sometimes become a little overwhelming.
Good and bad noise can be tiring.
It can wear me down.
Mental health and mental well-being shouldn’t be overlooked or neglected.
I need regular breaks from this rollercoaster ride of commotion.
I really do!
Before crossing the threshold into this sublime sober world, I would step away from the hubbub by intoxicating myself.
Alcohol as a treatment for stress is as perfect an example of an oxymoron as is possible.
While a few hours away from the mental hullabaloo might be managed using beer or wine, I always returned to a worse state of affairs.
Because …
The noise would reappear, accompanied by new levels of cortisol-infused anxiety, physical pain, and a range of unhelpful emotions ranging from guilt to regret and shame.
Nightmare.
There are better ways.
Sometimes I need to step away from the world of me.
The Duncaniverse is a busy place, populated by galaxies such as Family, Household, Professional, Community, and Keep-fit, where Duty, Care, Love, Choices, Worry, and a myriad of other planets are in constant orbit.
These days I attain temporary respite by using either prayer or meditation predominantly.
Sometimes they can be very similar.
Prayer is not the Santa Claus-type list of endless requests aimed Heaven-ward that we often modelled.
Prayer can be more of a moment to stop and be still. (Psalm 46:10 encourages me to: “..be still and know that I am God..”)
Meditation works similarly by calling me to be fully present in the moment.
This moment. Now. To breathe and be.
Both disciplines cause my focus to shift away from the racket and clamour of the Duncaniverse.
Both options can take just a short time.
I always emerge, refreshed, and re-booted.
My body relaxed and at peace.
I will have managed a micro holiday and feel all the better.
I am ready to go again and step back into Life’s busy world.
Hobbies also achieve excellent results, but the beauty of prayer and meditation is that they can be performed anywhere, almost at any time, and require zero equipment.
TOP TIP
Take a break