The nature of being human is complex. We ask a lot of ourselves, other people seem to ask for a lot from us, and our thoughts seem to infiltrate all of our waking moments, leaving little room to just be. Our desires push and pull us through life at a rapid pace. Our families and work need attention, need nurturance, and our bodies require much maintenance.

Finding silence, finding peace, seeking inner knowing, and having the ability to delineate how to do those things often falls by the wayside. We hope to share 3 accessible, easy, and loving ways to draw you back to yourself for 5 minutes a day:

1. Take Probiotics: This one is super simple. There are various brands of probiotics at different price points available online, or in your local health-food store if you have access to one. Taking probiotics is one of the easiest ways to address the gut-brain connection and take a step toward promoting longer-term mental health.

   “We will see a scenario where probiotics or prebiotics will be recommended for people with milder forms of depression or anxiety,” says Dinan. “We don’t have the trials at the moment to make those recommendations, but it will happen in the future.” https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/psychobiotics-your-microbiome-has-the-potential-to-improve-your-mental-health-not-just-your-gut-heath

2. Affirmations: Affirmations are FREE! In this economy, we love free! All jokes aside, affirmations are very easy to use. Simply choose a statement that generates calm and positive feelings. One great beginning affirmation to use is; “I am safe”. When anxiety, anger, or fear strikes, repeat “I am safe”. Try this for a week every day (set reminders to get used to doing this regularly). Enjoy the nervous system downshift that this generates for your body.

   “One account of why self-affirmations are successful is attributed to their ability to broaden a person’s overall perspective and reduce the effect of negative emotions (Sherman, 2013; Cohen and Sherman, 2014). For instance, researchers have suggested that self-affirmations remind individuals of psychosocial resources that extend beyond a specific threat, which allows them to focus on sources of positive self-worth that transcends the threat. This in turn is thought to reduce reactivity to the threat and protect overall psychological well-being (Koole et al., 1999; Cohen et al., 2009; Cook et al., 2012; Sherman et al., 2013).”

3. Go outside: Better yet, say your affirmations while you are outside! If you have children (or pets), you can say your affirmations together. Find 5 minutes a day to be without your screens, outside, breathing slowly and deeply. Let your mind rest.

   “The study surveyed 1,057 American office workers. Of that group, 87% spent an average of seven hours a day staring at screens. More than half of those surveyed reported fatigue or depression stemming from digital overload. The increase in burnout has led to action by the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2019, the WHO officially recognized burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” that can influence health status.” https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/digital-burnout

We hope this post supports you in reclaiming 5 minutes a day just for you.

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