Did you have a 12 hour day, with a rushed morning, caffeine scarcity, frustrating traffic jams, demanding boss, burnt food and everlasting headaches? Then let me tell you that you’ve come to the right place. Do you feel like banging your head on the wall just for the sake of it? Well, don’t do it. Just don’t.
Try these three methods instead. And believe me, you will be glad at the end that you did not end up in a hospital with a fractured head.
Though many might not know about it, writing is an excellent form of therapy. It works like magic and completely calms you down. All you need to do is, find a quiet spot away from people. In case you’re surrounded by people and cannot get away from them, don’t worry, the world ceases to exist as soon as you start writing because writing immerses you into its tranquil bubble.
Alternatively, you could also put on your favourite playlist to shut out the world. Now, take a book and a fancy pen (though for most times, I end up writing with whichever pen I can get my hands on). If you’re a technology person, you could also use your laptop, but the actual process of writing, the rhythm of it, adds to the calming process. And just start writing. It doesn't have to be ornate, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but it lets you be YOU. Vent out all your frustrations and let out all your worries, without the fear of being judged. As Natalie Goldberg says, “Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.” And by the time you’re down, you will be composed enough to approach your problems objectively and energised enough to slay them all.
Elizabeth Scott perfectly captures the essence of reading when she says, “I love books. I love that moment when you open one and sink into it, you can escape from the world, into a story that’s way more interesting than yours will ever be.” So, when you’re tired of your horde of problems (that never seem to get fully resolved), take a moment, stop running for that race that everyone’s running for and read a book. It won’t be long before you will get immersed into the story, going along with the character, worrying about his/her problems, getting overjoyed for their triumphs and your own problems will seem very far away.
For all those who agree with the Audrey Hepburn statement “Everything I learned, I learned from the movies”, then you should definitely put that belief to good use. After a tiring day, having a bubble bath and then snuggling into the thickest blanket with a tub of popcorn with your favourite movie playing is a very good idea. A good movie will take your mind off things, and popcorn just makes a lot of things perfect, right?
It doesn’t matter which method you apply, but what is essential is that you should relax. Frustration will only lead to messing things up and if you have to do what you’re supposed to, why not do it with a calm mind and a smiling face?
Written by Aneri Doshi
What makes my heart race? Books, Coffee and Rain
#1. Write
Alternatively, you could also put on your favourite playlist to shut out the world. Now, take a book and a fancy pen (though for most times, I end up writing with whichever pen I can get my hands on). If you’re a technology person, you could also use your laptop, but the actual process of writing, the rhythm of it, adds to the calming process. And just start writing. It doesn't have to be ornate, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but it lets you be YOU. Vent out all your frustrations and let out all your worries, without the fear of being judged. As Natalie Goldberg says, “Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.” And by the time you’re down, you will be composed enough to approach your problems objectively and energised enough to slay them all.
#2. Read
#3. Movie
It doesn’t matter which method you apply, but what is essential is that you should relax. Frustration will only lead to messing things up and if you have to do what you’re supposed to, why not do it with a calm mind and a smiling face?
Written by Aneri Doshi
What makes my heart race? Books, Coffee and Rain