Mindfulness and Meditation
The primary goal is to place your attention on one activity because when focused on that one activity, you can be aware of your breath and your body and how you are feeling. “Our thoughts well eventually stop … and then we kind of get into a zone,” she said. Suggestions for getting into that zone is to go outside and breathe and enjoy nature; prepare a meal, listen to music, and move your energy around. “In the movement, it’s good to just be aware. Are we irritated, has somebody upset us, what’s going on, are we depressed, just the observance, that’s the key, then we can find a tool to help us move through and get to the other side.”
Journaling
This is a great emotional tool, Edelman said. She suggests that you get a nice book and pen and find a nice corner and just sit and write until there are no more words and no more emotion coming out of you. Journaling is a release because we can write down all those words, which no one has to read, but it is an opportunity to release and let to go, she said, adding that you then find a safe vessel and light it on fire. “And then that is an absolute opportunity for it to be gone. You will be amazed how you feel after you do a good journaling session.”
Sleep
Spend a few minutes to define your day and nighttime routines. For those who just hastily jump out of bed, that’s not good, Edelman said. Stretch a little and give your body and mind an opportunity to come together because you have been unconscious for five or six hours. As for the nighttime regiment, don’t just plop into bed exhausted. She suggests reflexology (rubbing of the hands and feet) and reading for relaxation. She also suggests keeping the room a bit cool, clutter-free and absent of a TV. You also can create your own routine to wash away the day.
Tapping
This is a great tool to help process emotions, Edelman said, explaining that this is gently taps on certain areas of our face and body. “We are energetic meridians and this tapping in sequence kind of taps into these meridians and it literally helps us to release these emotions that are stuck.” While tapping, you can add words like “I am going to be OK,” “I got this,” or “I am going to get out of this situation.” Edelman recommends that you do this for multiple days. It’s also a good way to calm yourself down from something or somebody that trigger you at a meeting or elsewhere. “Tap it out and let it go. It works.”
Create A Gratitude Journal
We are blessed. We have food on our table, we have a roof over our head and we have a great profession that we are able to make a living, Edelman said. And so, we need to recognize that and have a gratitude practice where we give perspective to ourselves because everything in our life is a gift, everything is an opportunity to learn something. She recommends listing a few things each day and reflect on it at night and be grateful for it. There are lot of people out there who are hurting because of the economy, and we need to be grateful, she noted.
Connect With Like-Minded People
Share what you love to do and your hobbies with like-minded people. “Find what we love, do what we love and then find others who want to share it with you.”
Laughter
We need to find our joy and our laughter. “When we laugh, we are smiling, we are breathing, we are connecting, we are in the moment, and we are with others.” Find those moments, Edelman said, and try to find the things that make you laugh and make a list and keep them and keep it close.
Philanthropy
What is our philanthropy plan? Are we giving back? Are we finding time to share with others our time, knowledge, money? “It gives us perspective when we are giving back our philanthropy and it makes us appreciate what we have. So, make sure you have a philanthropy plan,” she said.
Calendar
Take control of your calendar, Edelman said, and be more mindful of what you are saying yes to and don’t be afraid to say no. “Take back who is controlling your day because we want to reset and restore ourselves during the day. You want to make sure that you are drinking water, you have time in between clients, you are eating something, you are taking some breaths, you are kind of resetting.”