Reprogram your mind to stay calm

A lot of people say that stress is all in the mind. That’s true to a certain extent. Outside forces can put all of us in stressful situations from time to time, but have you ever noticed how some people can manage those situations better than others?

Some of the most successful people in the world reprogram their minds through meditation to help them think more clearly, stay calm and deal with stress better. Just the mention of the word “meditation” puts people off, though. They think it’s too difficult, time consuming or means having to sit in an awkward position on the floor and chant a mantra. Others are fearful of it and think it’s all to do with cults or religion.

Let me put your fears to bed.

The type of meditation I’m going to talk about today does not require you follow any faith (or none), nor does it require you to take up an uncomfortable posture. You don’t have to devote a specific time to it either; in fact, you can fit it in whenever you have a spare moment.

The meditation I’m talking about is called Mindfulness.

Do this for me right now: Put down your phone or look away from your computer. Close your eyes and listen. I mean REALLY listen. What can you hear? If you’re indoors you might hear the hum from a heater or air-conditioner, perhaps the radio or TV on in another room. If you’re outdoors you might hear birdsong, traffic in the distance or maybe an airplane overhead. Now concentrate on your breathing. Listen to each breath. Try and clear your mind for as long as possible, but when the thoughts come, let them drift by like clouds in the sky. Don’t pay too much attention to them. Just relax for a moment, then slowly bring yourself back to reality. When you open your eyes, you’ll feel much more calm and relaxed. That’s mindfulness.

PS. There’s no stress in getting a copy of my chaos to calm Course. See for yourself here: