As the August days waned and my vacation days quickly passed, I was seeking a way to maintain the calmness, relaxing days of summer.  I came across Unplug:  A Simple Guid to Meditation for Busy Skeptics and Modern Soul Searchers at the library and am sharing a few insights that might help others to slow down and relax.  Life can be full of rushing, deadlines, insomnia and stress but this book gives a few ideas that can bring a bit more calm and happiness into your life.

“The minute I learned to unplug, my whole life changed.  Little did I know that nearly 5 years later I would be on a mission to convince you to join me.  But when you discover a life hack this good, you want to share it with as many people as you can!” (p. 1)

I know that many people will scoff at meditation but taking a few quiet moments to reflect and set an intention for your day can infuse you with a mindful calmness and strength to take on the challenges that arise.  For others, doing a mindful body scan before bed might help calm the mind and settle for sleep.   A few helpful tips from the book included:

• Before meditating, do a brain drain (write down any things on your mind)
• U – unplug from devices and tasks
• N – notice how you are feeling
• P – pick a point of focus (breath, mantra, visualization)
• L – let it go
• U – understand thoughts come and go (think of them as clouds drifting by)
• G – get on with your day

Take a few minutes to care for yourself, to reflect and to maintain calm in the midst of your busy life.  You are worth the investment of a few minutes and may find it makes a difference by introducing a calm, mindful approach.

“Meditation is a practice that teaches you to unplug from distraction and experience the present moment” (p. 23) to avoid the “monkey mind” of over 50,000 thoughts a day.