We start living the fast pace life pretty early on. There is always something to do and somewhere to be. But rest is just as important as being active and elsewhere, if not more.
There are definitely ways to have an active rest that will energize you for future ventures. By saying “rest” I by no means think of laying on the couch, watching TV (I don’t even consider that rest, as my mind is often in more demand for rest than my body, but that does not mean that I don’t enjoy a good late night movie paired with a glass of wine from time to time). Below are my favorite types of active rest techniques that tend to re-energize me most successfully.
1. Meditation
It is a great way to calm down breathing and even to disconnect from situations that are out of your hands. It furthermore guides you to become mindful of how your body feels as well as what you’re going through emotionally at that exact point in time. Relaxing might help you find solutions to the intricate problems you seemed to be so wrapped around in before.
2. Yoga
It obviously comes in different shapes and forms. All from pranayama (yogic breathing), to Bikram, or hot yoga (in spaces with 95 – 108 degrees Fahrenheit with 40% humidity), or yoga inspired fitness classes (like the ones where you spend most of the time in plank poses and classes alike). Yoga is because of its intricate connectedness to the breath and awareness of the movement a practice of meditation also. As it offers an introspective into both your body and mind, it will leave you longing for more. Yoga is a practice that boosts up your metabolism, well-being and consequently confidence. Make sure to wear comfortable yoga pants though!
3. Stretching
Stretching is a great way to elongate your muscles. We perform so many different unnatural moves throughout the day that it is good to take time and pay attention to the sensations our body is communicating to us. Stretching is moreover a low impact exercise where we continuously focus on our breathing. Creating space within our bodies is important for allowing new experiences and ideas to form.
4. Simply being
Sometimes it is good to take at least a few breaths for yourself and be present. See the beauty around you, hear the noise and smell the air. It might make you look at the task at hand from a different perspective or spark new ideas. I find that it instantly calms me down and in turn makes me more in control of how I react to things.
5. Aerial practices
It might be a new thing emerging on the fitness list, but aerial programs have been around since the 1990s. There are numerous health benefits from performing an aerial practice as opposed to its regular version. By practicing aerial exercises like simple free swinging, you are nurturing kinesthetic awareness. By inversions, you are bringing fresh air to the brain, realigning your spine – as the hammock allows you to move freely in all ways. Your joints are being lubricated without impact. All of it in turn for a fresher looking skin. Moreover, cocoon (one of the finishing poses) is a meditative place where hammock shelters you from the outside world.
The whole practice is a low impact cardiovascular workout and it can even be perceived as a form of dance.
6. Nature walks
Choose the route depending on your fitness level, just getting out of the house or apartment and enjoying fresh air is always a good thing. You even have a win-win situation if you combine your walk with a friendly date (take your coffee on the go).
7. Coloring
Being creative brings a sense of fulfillment. You can make greeting cards and make someone happy or simply let them know you’re grateful for your friendship. You can redecorate your space according to the season or your mood depending on the pattern you choose or draw.
8. Upcycling older pieces of clothing
Instead, you throw out your old clothes you can rather upcycle them. If you have worn them a couple of times, you probably like them enough to wear them again. Spice them up by pinning brooches to them, adding some lace fabrics, or cutting out some holes to go for a rocker look. I feel like time is never thrown away while you’re being creative. Also, while being creative you think in unconventional ways, so in turn, you can solve problems more easily if you are able to look at them from various perspectives.
One thing that will keep you more restful is making and taking time for yourself. If only a couple of minutes a day. Your body and mind will be grateful for it.
