The mind can be one of the most restless places. Filled with a jumble of “to do” and “what if,” thoughts can become a tangle of anxiety, frustration, stress, and depression. In many instances, the brain is a lot like a grandma rocking and knitting, then repeatedly ripping out her carefully crafted stitches. The thread of our thoughts can become frayed with repeated handling. We attempt to be productive, so we plan. Then things out of our control demand a readjustment. We try again, this time with greater trepidation. The previous thoughts are accompanied by uncertainties and imagined negative outcomes. So we try to plan to prevent failing. This is only one ball of yarn. Added to this are the concerns we have for other people, the whispers about our own health, the demands of deadlines, unexpected tasks, the internal image we’re trying to live up to, the requests of those we want to help, rude drivers, long lines, emotional roller-coasters, and an endless supply of other stressors that fill our minds and strain our nerves. The rocking chair hasn't stopped squeaking nor the needles quit clicking, but knotted, fuzzy threads are the only indicators that something was attempted during the passage of time. It’s in moments like these, when we feel like time cannot accommodate our needs, that we most need rest. It may require leaving the threads tangled and coming back to sort them out later, or it may require rolling up every individual ball of yarn into tidy mental compartments, pausing, then taking out one at a time to deal with, but the moment of rest can help provide energy to bring about something productive.
Tip/Tidbit: Rest doesn't always require hours of time. Try one of the following methods to bring rest to your mind.
Practice mindfulness, what many call “stopping to smell the roses.” Focusing on the details of your world and enjoying what you see and hear around you can bring rest to your mind.
Brainstorm. For 5 minutes write every thought that comes to mind on a single sheet of paper. Organize those thoughts into categories: Things to do, plans to make, prayers to pray, etc. Emptying the thoughts out of your head can clear your mind and enable you to formulate a productive plan.
Take a 15 min. nap.
Tip/Tidbit: Rest doesn't always require hours of time. Try one of the following methods to bring rest to your mind.
Practice mindfulness, what many call “stopping to smell the roses.” Focusing on the details of your world and enjoying what you see and hear around you can bring rest to your mind.
Brainstorm. For 5 minutes write every thought that comes to mind on a single sheet of paper. Organize those thoughts into categories: Things to do, plans to make, prayers to pray, etc. Emptying the thoughts out of your head can clear your mind and enable you to formulate a productive plan.
Take a 15 min. nap.
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