How to Stay Calm in the City

Its great living in the city. The people, the food, the lifestyle. Life can be so good and living in the city makes this possible. Sometimes days are so calm. Well, for those of us living in the city there is a trade off. Noise, traffic, large crowds, rude behavior. But it's still a great lifestyle in the city. I maintain that it is possible to be calm and live in the city. Calm in the city? You bet. Here are my seven ways to stay calm in the city.

1. Slow down your brain and body rhythms. Psychiatrist Georgi Lozanov suggests the rhythmical and soothing Baroque music from the Classical composers. Vivaldi, Handel, or Bach. He has found heart rate and breathing slow down and an increase in right and left brain hemisphere synchronization. Greater mind and body harmony leads to a calm state of mind.

2. Deep outdoor breathing. Sounds simple yet it is so effective. Did you know that your emotions are linked to your breathing? For example someone agitated or fearful has a particular breathing pattern. Short rapid breaths usually. Fast inhalations and fast exhalations. A calm person breaths differently. Long slow breaths are the norm. Breathing this way automatically creates a sense of calm in a person. If you desire to change your breathing slow it down so you can become more peaceful. There is a lot more to this subject and if you are interested in more information find a good yoga teacher to help you.

3.Go to a gym class, pilates, aerobics, dance, or some kind of group class. Exercise, I like to call it movement, keeps the body strong and healthy. I believe that not using your body creates stress. So we need to have a movement program in place. Not so easy sometimes as many activities are set up so our body does not have to move. "What!" I hear you say. Hey, our ancestors had to go out and hunt for food. This was a workout in itself. If we are really going to enjoy our city lifestyle we need to have our own personal movement program. Look after your body, it will then look after you. In turn with vibrant health you will be more calm as you can handle your daily activities in an energized state of being.

4. Inspiration is a fourth way to calmness. An inspired mind rises to a higher plane of thought. Any positive emotion. Any uplifting emotion lifts you up. This is where calmness can be found. In the realm of positive thought. You won't find calmness linked to thoughts of worry, fear or not liking yourself. How to get inspired? Here is a short list. Visit a museum, visit art galleries, a social chat on the telephone, go see a movie, walk along the beach, read a book, plan a holiday, take a new car for a test drive. These are suggestions. Everyone is different and you find out what inspires you. Then put it into action. You'll find yourself , before you know it, becoming more calm in the process.

5. Do progressive relaxation. Progressive relaxation is where the body is relaxed one muscle at a time until the whole body reaches a deep place of peace. It takes your whole mind and body down to a deeper state of rest and relaxation. Dr Herbert Benson explains how this works in detail in his book 'The Relaxation Response'. Some physical benefits can include lowered heart rate and increased blood flow. There exists a definite mind and body connection. The mind and body influence each other. If we are aware of this we can use it consciously to our benefit. A greater mind and body awareness creates more calm in the body in turn this leads to a calm emotional state.

6. Juice your way to calmness. Carrot juice, celery juice, lemon juice, are a healthy way to start your day. There are living nutrients in juices. There is also a strong link between how energized you feel and how calm you are. Once again everyone is different and the more options we have the greater our chance of finding something that works.

7. Make adjustments to your environment. Alter lighting, ventilation, or color schemes. A pleasant and uplifting environment has a positive impact on you. If you're happy in an environment you're more likely to experience calm.

There may be more ways but these 7 ways to calmness while living in the city are a good start. There's a whole lot more choices out there for you. Our lifestyle of living in the city can have peace of mind, good health, and calmness. A little bit of planning and some action will create the peace of mind you want. Then you can say to your country and farm loving friends, "Where you live is great, but I just feel so calm living in the city".

The author of this article welcomes emails and replies.