HOW TO UNLOCK INNER CALM

Free yourself from stress by training youself to think differently

Being calm, a state of mind that most of us long for, can positively change your life. However, when you try to be more relaxed, you quickly discover how difficult it is to achieve. And scientific research tends to focus on stress rather than on the art of remaining calm. The key questions are: what happens when stress takes control of your brain and what can you do to achieve calm? Bruce McEwen, of The Rockefeller University, New York, is a pioneer of modern stress research. He believes that all behavioural strategies that result in an increased level of calmness have high therapeutic value in dealing with stress reduction. McEwen’s research shows that the price of ongoing stress is wear and tear on the body. The detrimental effect on skin, muscle and bone tissue increases with constant stress. Fortunately, the converse holds true, too: inner calm is known to be an effective anti-ageing strategy. CHANGING THOUGHT PATTERNS It’s almost impossible to achieve a state of inner serenity by simply telling yourself to be calm. But we can find alternative ways of achieving a calm state. Exercise, for example, is one of the proven ways to do this. Another way we can move from stress to inner peace, according to Dr Joe Dispenza, author of Evolve Your Brain, is by gaining awareness and control of our feelings. ‘From a neurological point of view, the brain is influenced by everything that we think, feel and do, and this leads to particular patterns or brain circuits,’ says Dispenza. Unfortunately, our brain is constructed in such a way that it remembers negative experiences more easily than positive ones. So to change damaging thought patterns, we must persuade our brain to function in a new way. When we want to be more relaxed, we need to make a conscious effort to remember an increased number of deeply felt positive experiences. For example, we need to choose to be with people whose company enriches us, instead of those who bore or irritate us, as the denser our brain’s bank of positive memories, the easier it is, during a crisis, to divert the brain to positive thought. And it is this process that decisively affects how we behave when we have to deal with stressful, hectic situations.

LEARNING TO BE CALM

There are different ways to increase inner calm – the main thing is to move forward and take the first step. Here are four quick exercises to help you temper feelings of stress.

1. To stop your mind whirling and to neutralise negative thoughts, you need to learn how to observe your thoughts.

It’s possible to step outside yourself and watch what’s going through your head. Imagine your most stressful thoughts in the form of a passing train. Let it pass you by. If the train disappears into a tunnel, then the same happens to your thoughts – you are rid of them. You can also stop your thoughts by writing them down. Put the paper away and the thoughts are forgotten – you’ve gained control over them.

2. Brain researchers have found that meditation is the fastest way to programme your brain to be calm.

Set an alarm clock for one minute. Close your eyes and let your attention wander from your head to your feet and back again. Try to do this from the perspective of an outside observer. If a distracting thought occurs, say the word ‘think’ three times. If a feeling is experienced, say ‘feeling’ three times and return to concentrating on your breathing. When the alarm clock rings, inhale and exhale once more. It’s important to limit the exercise to 60 seconds as this signals to your subconscious that rapid relaxation is possible.

3. This simple exercise can be sufficient to change the brain’s biochemistry from stress to inner calm.

Simply inhale, hold your breath, and when you feel the impulse to exhale, wait a moment longer. Then exhale. Repeat the exercise three times.

4. When you’re on your way to an important appointment, programme yourself to relax by concentrating on your footsteps.

If your mind drifts, think ‘right, left, right, left’ and simply place one foot in front of the other. This returns you to the present and prevents you from losing yourself in possible future scenarios.