A calm mind sees the world more clearly and from a broader perspective. In this dimension where reflection and emotional control reign, we can put aside anxious or irrational thoughts to make better decisions.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: 15 November 2021
The calm mind is focused and, above all, disciplined. In times like today, when multitasking reigns, it becomes a privilege to achieve that inner balance where thoughts, emotions and behaviors are in complete harmony and focused on what really matters.
Shiba Yoshimasa, a Japanese general of the fourteenth century, stated that the most important quality of any warrior or samurai is to calm the mind in order to better understand the opponent. These ideas have always been a source of inspiration, but we know just as well that it is not at all easy to train the mind in this dimension in which emotional control, the ability to reflect and inner peace reign.
There is no shortage of good advice, books that teach us to train our attention and, of course, the disciplines such as mindfulness that make meditation the ideal strategy to educate a nervous mind.
But not everyone finds this approach effective and this is mainly due to the fact that our thought patterns do not change so easily; it is not easy to curb a mind accustomed to traveling faster than life.
However, over time and finding the strategy that best suits our needs, it is possible to achieve a more relaxed mind and able to project itself towards well-being.
"A calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, which is why it is very important to enjoy good health."
-Dalai Lama-
Calm mind, clear mind
There is a very interesting concept in Buddhist philosophy, namely that of the monkey mind. This term refers to a restless, undisciplined and even exasperated state of mind that leaps from branch to branch in the forest of thoughts, and that gets lost in its own worries, that sticks to the ego and is unable to see what it is. really important.
The strategy for transforming the monkey mind into a calm mind is to bring it down from the trees of the forest of worries to put its feet on the ground. Only in this way, with his feet firmly planted on the ground, will he have more control and breadth of perspective. This is the moment in which balance and inner security are achieved, in which the creativity, reflection and control necessary to be able to make better choices emerge. Let's see in the next few lines what it takes to get a calm mind and how to work on each of these aspects.
1. A calm mind handles anxiety better
Dr. Peter Roy-Byrne, chief of psychiatry at the University of Washington, says something very important: anxiety disorders are more common than depression and often just as disabling.
Anxiety is that cumbersome traveling companion that comes and goes in our life; an enemy that we could face by training the mind for calm and awareness.
Thus, once mental attention is able to focus on the importance of the moment, placating negative emotions and putting a silence intrusive thoughts, calm begins to emerge.
2. Put the right distance between us and what happens around us
Monkey minds, or anxious minds, possess a curious ability. They are intensely and inevitably influenced by everything that happens around them. No matter how insignificant the event is, anything will end up being magnified and compromising the state of well-being.
Calm minds, on the other hand, possess exceptional virtues. They are able to distance themselves, to place a protective filter. Since they observe what surrounds them with more serenity, they are able to better control what is presented to manage it and control its effect.
3. Inner calm and emotional control
A concentrated and relaxed mind is a mind that has learned to manage emotions, thus far from silencing anxiety, hiding fears or turning away from worries; a calm mind is able to effectively manage these inner universes. He has learned to understand his fears, to understand that anxiety is part of life and that it is best to keep it under control.
4. Face challenges calmly and courageously
When our inner essence is trapped in the web of stress and anxiety, we don't act, we simply react to things. We are like a leaf carried by the wind that has no control over its movements and that ends up being thrown here and there. All this, undoubtedly, does not happen to a calm mind.
It houses reflection, it does not act by instinct, but looks at the world from a broader perspective and is proactive. She rarely gets caught unprepared by storms, because she sees them coming, because she is brave and does not hesitate to face challenges.
5. A calm mind makes better decisions
It is not nationality, language or culture that define us as human beings, but the decisions we make every moment. The best way to develop greater control over our actions is therefore to learn to choose starting from mental calm.
In this silent room resides trust, order, the voice of experience mixed with intuition. This is where each of us can make the decisions that will successfully guide the course of our lives.
To conclude, psychologist Daniel Kahneman says that regardless of how you feel at a given moment, it is essential to always act calmly. Recall, however, that calm does not arise by itself, but must be trained, favored and possessed through the control of one's emotions and thoughts, everytime. Let's try to put it into practice.
