Anxiety and stress are things we all deal with and wish that we wouldn’t. While there are many prescription drug solutions for anxiety, with a few solid steps it is possible to reduce your mental noise and lead a more abundant and radiant life. It isn’t always easy to have inner peace, but with practices done daily, it is a lot easier.
Discipline plays a large role in attaining anything that you want. While you probably shouldn’t assume there is an end goal of “enlightenment” associated with reducing mental noise, these practices are sure to help.
4 Consistent Practices to Overcome Mental Noise
1. Meditation retreat – Of course, meditation is a great way of overcoming mental noise, but doing 15 – 20 minutes per day will only get you so far. Most people have spent so many years listening to their own mental noise that it requires a full, intensive (and often times painful) retreat in order to overcome these challenges. Vipassana meditation is a style that offers 10 day retreats where meditators practice in silence for 12 hours per day. Luckily, they are worldwide and you can probably find one near you.
2. Daily breath work – The basis of all meditation is breath because it is the one constant that is involuntary, but can be voluntarily controlled. We have to breathe (and do so automatically), but yet we can alter it if we please. This might mean doing the meditation 20 minutes a day or it can be doing small 2 – 5 minute bursts throughout the day. Breath will be a constant grounding practice that you can use.
3. Exhaust yourself physically – Exercise is good for many reasons, but it also can help quiet mental noise. When you are physically exhausted, it is difficult to be overbearing and harsh on yourself. The only thing you can think about is recovery. Also, physical activity usually comes with plenty of brain chemicals, like endorphins etc., which feel amazing for the brain. Go for a jog, lift weights, or do whatever sport strikes your fancy. Just do it hard enough that you break a sweat and must focus on the task at hand instead of other things going on in your life.
4. Remove negativity from your life – Most of the time, we create our own anxiety and stress through mental noise, but our environment plays a big role. There is no need to remain in negative situations if you feel yourself going down this rabbit hole. Extricate yourself and remove much of the cause for stress.
If you can maintain these 4 practices or engage in them in some way, you’ll slowly reduce the mental noise and make your life happier. It isn’t a simple or quick process, but it is a rewarding one.
