Learn more about mindfulness with this collection
Leonardo da Vinci's creative process
How to approach problem-solving like da Vinci
The importance of curiosity and observation
Take three deep breaths
- Breathe in through your nose, as deeply as you can.
- Fill your belly first â feel it expand â then your chest.
- Finally, with the last little inhale, feel your collarbones lift.
- Hold it for an instant, then let it all out through your nose.
- Almost done. Now use your stomach to push the last of it out your mouth.
- Repeat two times (or do a longer session for total relaxation).
Youâve just increased the levels of oxygen and feel-good chemicals in your blood, which is good for your brain and your body.
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Throw out your to-do list
If youâre compelled to make a new to-do list, keep it short. No more than one or two things that can be knocked off today.
Get them done. Pat yourself on the back and have a cookie. Then forget about to-dos until tomorrow. Repeat.
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Put one bad thought in a box
If youâre feeling stressed or depressed or just blah, dig deep into your mind to figure out whatâs behind it.
The key to any successful stress-reduction strategy is to first figure out whatâs bugging you. Is there a single cause? Great! But often there isnât anything specific, which indicates your stress is caused by anxiety â worry over things you canât even define. Either way, put the damn thought (or feeling) into a mental box and commit to addressing it at some specific later time.
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Schedule time for yourself
Doesnât matter what you actually do. A long, hot bath. A totally aimless walk around the neighborhood. Lunch in the park. Visit a friend. Take a nap. Read a book.
Whatever it is, donât involve your phone, computer, or any other communication device. Turn them off, check out for a stretch, and make sure anyone who might need you knows youâre incommunicado.
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Acknowledge someone
We humans are often unaware of the positive effect we can have on another person by simply recognizing their existence, perhaps offering a smile or a kind word, and how good such acts are for our own mood.
Wave to a neighbor you usually ignore. Compliment the bagger at the grocery checkout. Come up with just about any excuse to thank a nurse.
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Text or email a friend
Loneliness is one of the biggest hurdles to our collective mental health and well-being, now more than ever. And each of us, lonely or not, craves social connection.
So, think of someone you care about who hasnât heard from you in a while, and send them a short note. Just say hello and ask how theyâre doing.
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Go outside
Doesnât matter if you walk or just sit, do some gardening, or merely ponder your existence. Itâs well established that spending more time outside will improve your mood, especially if you can find some green space.
As an added benefit, natural daylight triggers chemical changes in the brain that let us know itâs time to be awake and alert, which in turn helps the brain and body know when itâs time to sleepâboth good mood boosters on their own.
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Start one new positive habit
We are all creatures of habit, and a lot of our habits suck. Changing them is hard. One great trick is to piggyback a new habit onto an existing one.
First, come up with something easy that you think you could manage every day. Now stack that new behavior onto something you do daily.
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