In today's age, our minds are subject to so much more stimulation on a daily basis than they ever have been before.

It's quite normal to have the TV or radio on from the moment you wake up, or to be scrolling the news or social media on your phone. Maybe responding to messages from friends & family, work emails, and social media posts, all before you've even made breakfast and left for work in the morning. Then you leave for work to sit in the morning commute, listening to the radio or a podcast while eating your breakfast. Your brain is on overdrive before you've even arrived at work.

Does this sound familiar? And more importantly, does this sound sustainable to you?

It's hardly a wonder more people than ever before are struggling with their mental health - when are you letting your mind switch off? And what are you actively doing to let yourself process everything that's happening in your day?

And guess what? Just because everyone else is going as fast as they can, this doesn't mean you have to keep up. You're allowed to give yourself permission to slow down. You can have your morning drink sitting outside listening to the birds, or sitting next to the window with the TV switched off.

So here I invite you to find somewhere in your day you can do just this. Somewhere you can find even 2 minutes alone time to sit in the quiet and let yourself decompress from everything that's happening around you.

As you sit in the stillness and quiet, notice what happens in your mind, in your body. Do you find yourself becoming uncomfortable or agitated? This is perfectly normal, and is because you are so programmed to be constantly on the move and receive external stimulation. Instead, you can give yourself permission to sit through this discomfort. It doesn’t have to be for long; even 2-5 minutes can have a profound effect on the rest of your day. And once the 2-5minutes is up, notice how you feel in your body, in your mind. And let yourself know that no matter what else is happening around you during your day, you’re always allowed to take this little piece of stillness with you.

I'd love to hear how you're letting this into your life. Let me know in the comments below.