Our brains are full of clutter. Whether it be work stress, a national pandemic, or the anxieties of everyday life.
And while it can often feel impossible to clear our mind and start thinking more clearly, there are actually quite a few simple ways to do just that.
To get you started, we’ve created a list of 3 of our favorites.
These have all helped me in the past and I encourage you to try them to see what helps you.
Ways To Deep Clean Your Mind
1. Get Moving
Getting out and about and moving your body is a great way to clear the clutter of your mind.
When we exercise, blood flow and pressure increase everywhere in the body, including the brain. This helps to increase our energy and oxygen levels and ultimately think more clearly.
Exercise also sets off endorphins that help you to concentrate and gain mental clarity.
This can mean any type of exercise that you’d like.
Whether it be yoga, a bike ride, or a 5 mile run around town, all that matters is that your body is moving.
If you can, try completing your exercise in nature. Scientific studies have shown that doing so can improve overall mood, and even help to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
2. Journaling
Journaling is one of the absolute best ways to clear your mind.
This is because it allows us to put own all of our thoughts on paper for the simple purpose of reflecting.
By writing them down, we can take a moment to fully process the thoughts that are overwhelming our minds.
The best part is that no one is going to see your journal, so you have the freedom to be as honest as you wish.
If you’re new to journaling, you may want to start with a prompt.
One of my personal favorites is the 5-4-3-2-1 approach.
Take a moment to write out each of the series below. This is all about bringing your attention to the here and now.
- List 5 things that you see
- List 4 things that you can touch
- List 3 things that you can hear
- List 2 things that you can smell
- List 1 thing that you can taste
Otherwise, feel free to write about whatever feels right to you! The floor (or should I say page), is yours.
3. Gardening
The goal of all these approaches is to get your mind concentrated and engaged in something other than stress.
Like reading or journaling, gardening is a great activity to help you destress and clear your mind of clutter.
Not only does it allow you to spend some time in the sun and grow real, organic food, it actually has the ability to reduce symptoms of stress in depression.
This is because gardening causes a release of serotonin, a happy chemical in our brain that works as a natural antidepressant.
Gardening also gives you something to take care of and look forward to each and every day. Personally, I wake up excited every morning to check out back on my basil plant.
And the best part is that anyone can garden. You don’t need a big backyard or fancy equipment. All you need is some soil, water, and sun.
So the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed with thoughts or emotions, try out one of these approaches.
And for more exercises to get you out of your head, check out our blog Stop Thinking and Start Living: How To Get Your Mind Off Something.
