Cultivate Calm & Stillness. Let go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle

Affirmation: I am kind to myself. I follow my own heart, not the expectations of others.

‘This is what the Lord… says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you’ (2 Kings 20:5).

When I read this verse today I prayed for you. The healing my be physical, it may be emotional, it may be situational or maybe financial…that’s between you and God. But this is my prayer for you today.
The Responsible Decision The Buck Stops Here! “Each of you must be responsible to do your creative best with your life”. Gal. 6:4
If decisions are choices…and our thinking dictates our decisions—then I am where I am because of my thinking.
My thoughts will be constructive---NEVER destructive.Responsibility is about HOPE and Control. Make better choices. (Cultivate Calm & Stillness)

Guidepost 8: Cultivating Calm and Stillness and Letting Go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle
(Based on Gifts of Imperfection, taken from mindfulambition.net)
Imagine you have a pot of boiling water on the stove, and you want to cool it down. So you add a block of ice to the water. This cools it down briefly, but soon enough, the heat is back and the water is boiling. So you add more ice, and the process repeats. Soon enough, you’re out of ice, and the water is boiling over.
But what if you slowed down enough to turn down the heat on the stove? Or better yet, turned it off entirely?
This is the approach many people take with anxiety. They think “Anxiety has always been around in the past, I just need a better way to manage it.”
Which is like looking for bigger ice cubes instead of figuring out how to turn off the stove.
And understanding how to turn off that stove requires space in your life for calm and stillness. This is time for emotional processing and self-regulation. To feel what’s going on in your life, question, dream, and explore possibilities.
Start practicing:
Start a daily meditation practice. Even as little as 2 minutes every day makes a big difference. Not sure where to begin? Create space for introspection via solitude and journaling. Give yourself the opportunity to understand yourself more deeply. What patterns of behavior are serving you in life? Which ones aren’t?
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

From Mayo Clinic:

Everyday ways to practice meditation

Don't let the thought of meditating the "right" way add to your stress. But you can also practice meditation easily on your own. Or you may find apps to use, too.

And you can make meditation as formal or informal as you like, however it suits your lifestyle and situation. Some people build meditation into their daily routine. For example, they may start and end each day with an hour of meditation. But all you really need is a few minutes of quality time for meditation.

Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose:

• Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function.

Focus all your attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.

• Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body's various sensations, whether that's pain, tension, warmth or relaxation.

  Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body.

• Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it's religious or secular. Examples of religious mantras include the Jesus Prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism.

• Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you're walking, such as in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall.

  When you use this method, slow down your walking pace so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don't focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as "lifting," "moving" and "placing" as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground. Focus on the sights, sounds and smells around you.

• Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions.

  You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about possible resources.

• Read and reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on their meaning.

  You can also listen to sacred music, spoken words, or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader.

• Focus your love and kindness. In this type of meditation, you think of others with feelings of love, compassion and kindness. This can help increase how connected you feel to others.2