Introduction
It is easy to lose yourself in a world where it is impossible to escape the incessant buzzing of your phone, the whirring of a car engine, or the tapping of your keyboard. Living in the 21st century, where almost everything is automated, we have become highly sprung individuals. While we cannot change society’s dependency on technology, we can control our involvement with it, thus improving our mental health and our quality of life. A remarkably useful way of regaining control over our use of technology is to step away from it all: practising stillness while dwelling in nature.
Turn everything off and sit on the grass
Consider meditating in nature. Put your ringer off and let the sounds in nature guide your meditation. It may be challenging to sit still for several minutes, but it is essential to take your time and ease into it. Start with a few minutes daily and gradually increase the time taken away from electronics. Given the influx of opinions, false news, and unwanted media on the internet, our constant reliance on social media can become overwhelming. Due to this intensity, our nervous systems release cortisol and our anxiety spikes. Apart from the potential mental issues, it can become difficult to have your own thoughts and ideas without external imposition. In silence, it is easier to empty our minds and let the pressure slowly seep out of our nervous systems. When we take that time off, we can avoid that bombardment and find ourselves again.
Give the left brain a break
Due to the hyperactive state that we live in, our mind gets overstimulated by everything happening around us. Some of us rarely have time to be creative and try new hobbies. For this reason, our left brain hemisphere, which is responsible for rationality, is overused. We have this compulsion to stay in a constant logical and hypervigilant state. Practising stillness allows us to take the edge off and just stop all of the overthinking. An open mind eliminates creative blocks because stillness puts the right brain to work and enables innovative ideas to flow. Additionally, relaxation redirects you to what you enjoy doing by yourself. You learn more about who you are, your interests, and your disinterests outside of work and daily responsibilities. You become one with yourself once again.
Release
Practising stillness gets you acquainted with what is happening inside your body. You can regain control of your emotions and allow yourself to feel everything you might have suppressed. This way, you can feel, process, and release everything you may have bottled up. You understand yourself better and reclaim personal power by pinpointing the exact moment that led to a particular emotion. Incorporate moments of stillness during your day and watch your mental health improve your physical health, as well as your relationships in general. Stillness allows you to rise above your impulsivity and become more aware of your life’s current and recurrent situations. You can identify what holds you back, both physically and mentally. Thus, when in doubt, walk amongst the trees, breathe, and refocus.