How To Unwind In 2 Minutes

And the title of this mini-podcast is, How to Unwind in 2 Minutes.

Do you know someone who is wound tighter than a drum?

Maybe it's you.

So how do you let your hair down?

In other words, how do you unwind?

For some people, it's a glass of wine.

Maybe a hot shower, a conversation with a friend, or maybe your spouse.

Some people take a nap, some read, some meditate.

Others go for a walk, or a jog.

All of those things can help you relax.

But think about what they're really doing.

Most of them are ways to get a little distance from your thoughts, because it's usually

our thoughts that tie us up in knots.

Now if you share your thoughts with someone, they're no longer inside your head.

They're now on an external speaker for someone else to hear, and no longer bouncing around

in your head.

Once in a blue moon, the person listening even helps you untie the knot.

But most times, they can't.

And if you just keep talking to yourself about the same thoughts, you often wind up tying

the knot even tighter.

Some people use wine to unwind.

One glass slows things down a little.

Two glasses slow things down even more, and pretty soon your thinking slows down.

Your speech slows down, and your body does too.

You've tied one on.

But what have you really done?

You've numbed your mind and body.

To what end?

To calm your thoughts.

There are actually better ways to unwind, and the most reliable ones have something in

common.

They move your attention out of your head, and into your body.

If you happen to be a person of great financial means, you could call your personal massage

therapist, have them come over, and work on you at the drop of a hat.

But most of us need something a little more practical.

Here's a method that costs nothing, requires no help from anyone else, and with a little

practice, you can unwind in under two minutes.

Here's how.

Just close your eyes, and slowly take an inventory of your body.

Start at your toes and move upward to the top of your head.

Or start at the top and work your way down.

As you go, just notice the feeling in each part of your body, your feet, your calves,

your knees, your thighs, just notice.

It can also help to let your eyes rest down and slightly to the right while you're paying

attention to those body sensations.

What happens is simple.

Your attention shifts away from your thinking, and into your physical sensations.

Your body relaxes.

And little spaces begin to show up in your thinking, which allows you naturally to unwind.

Because unwinding is simply unbinding yourself from your thoughts.

All the best, John.