10 Ways to Nourish Your Inner Zen: Part Two

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." -Sydney J. Harris

Last week, I discussed five methods I find useful when trying to nourish my inner Zen. The first five methods from Part One are listed below.

1. Breathe
2. Ask Powerful, Thought Provoking Questions
3. Replace "Uhm" with "Om"
4. Relax
5. Simplify

Now, let's discuss the final five methods!

6. Create a Calm Atmosphere
It's no secret that our physical space can make a strong impact on our ability to relax. Yet I find that there is no specific recipe for creating that calm atmosphere. Each individual tends to gravitate towards different types of atmospheres depending on what best supports creating the room we need to allow our minds to unwind and encourage our nerves to relax. You may want to create this atmosphere during the day while at work, in the morning, or in the evening. Clearly, you should personalize your space to accommodate different goals. I find that lighting makes a tremendous difference in a space. When it's storming, you may require different light than when the sky is filled with sunshine. In the evening, candles and softer light tend to serve as triggers for me to begin calming my mind. Music also provides benefits whether I want to take a break during the day or head toward the end of my work and shift mentally to a calmer state. Below are a few resources that provide specific examples and ideas for creating your own personal sanctuary.

-> 10 Ways to Relaxify your Workspace

-> Feng Shui Style

-> Candles You Can't Live Without

-> Gaiam Life Meditation Rooms: Virtually enter a calm atmosphere

7. Go on a Virtual Vacation
Create your own virtual vacation by locating sites you want to explore. Spend time visiting different web sites and bookmark the sites you would like to explore further (such as the web site of a beautiful hotel in a tropical location). Then, whenever you need to "escape," you are ready to depart at a moment's notice on a virtual vacation. Below are a few personal favorites, but the Internet is endless; you'll have little problem finding several that will become your personal favorites!

-> Etsy (try searching by location to find local artists in different areas of the world)

-> Flickr or Webshots (photo sharing communities)

-> Travelistic (online travel videos)

-> Chowhound (food-lovers worldwide gather to discuss the best in food across the globe)

-> Travel and Leisure

8. Create Kitchen Zen
Anyone who knows me is well aware that I have zero kitchen knowledge! Yes, I can boil water but beyond that, my expertise slims down fast. I consider myself very lucky to know a food guru, Whitney Ahneman, of Witty Nutrition! Whitney's words of wisdom on kitchen Zen:

Forget multi-tasking and allow yourself to focus on just one thing, the task of cooking a meal. Taking your time, enjoying the whole process of cooking and not just looking for the end result helps to create a nice ambiance. When looking for recipes, stick within your comfort zone, but feel free to try something new. And remember, "A happy cook is a good cook!" Switching gears here... let's talk tea! Tea can be very calming; I just love sitting back with a nice cup of tea! The cardinal rule of making tea is to boil the water and not microwave it. Even if you're making iced tea I'd recommend doing this and seeping the tea in the hot water, and then cooling it down. In terms of flavor, there are a couple of different routes to go. If you're just starting out, buy a variety pack so you can learn about the different flavors and what you like best. If not, you can buy loose tea and mix the flavors in the infuser for how you feel that day. Tea can completely ascribe to your personality and mood. I know I go through phases where I drink one kind every day for weeks, and then I'll change it up. The bottom line for both of these is to make food and drink a temperate, peaceful component to your day. It's meant to be enjoyed.

9. Appreciate Your Surroundings
Take the time to appreciate where you live. We all take it for granted but really, it represents the very scenery that should be looked at through fresh eyes. The next time you look out the window or walk down the street, instead of focusing on getting from point A to point B, take a step back and appreciate the area in which you spend your time--regardless of the weather!

10. Create a Personal Treasury
In Part One, I offered a download you can utilize to establish a personal treasury of the resources, thoughts, and tips that are most beneficial to you. I kept it simple so that you can tailor it to fit your specific needs. This "knowledge treasury" can serve as a printable inspiration board. Of course, with so many wonderful resources online and off, it is easy to become overwhelmed. To begin to nourish your inner Zen, try to focus on the resources and sources of inspiration that are the most powerful for you. There are a few tips within the document that will help you determine which resources are the most capable for you. My favorite part of the document is page three: a knowledge treasury (printable inspiration board). I love having the ability to print a structured inspiration board since it allows me to create a new inspiration board anytime I choose. In fact, I plan on creating a new one each month. You'll notice that I attached my printed document to a large piece of card stock so that I can add visual inspiration around the perimeter of the board. So just have fun...and draw outside the lines!

-> Download Personal Treasury Document

-> See my personal inspiration board as an example!

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Comments

[mrhero]

How about a virtual snack when you're hungry! A better diet than South Beach.

[PaulProia]

I totally buy into the virtual vacation..­. Five minutes to clear the mind is good for the soul. As for the kitchen coolness, as long as I can make a different kind of French Toast, I'm usually pretty happy!

These are some great ideas - thanks!

[W2JKD]

I've bookmarked your recommended pages. Life is a limited commodity. Seems like we all try to pack as much in as possible. And that means that compacting our "chill" experiences and making those moments more effective is becomming more imporant. Kind of like the "power nap" of a few years ago. Thanks for some powerful suggestions.

[BKleinhofer]

I love #8 and #9, Create Kitchen Zen and Appreciate Your Surroundings. I like that reinforcement that food and drink are meant to be enjoyed! Not just a checkmark through the day.

I have an hour + commute in the morning and night, but it has not been a burden. I actually have enjoyed the time, because I constantly make an effort to connect with my surroundings and the people that are walking, driving, biking in my city. I have absolutely woken to find myself in that mindless drone of getting from point A to point B, and that is when I shake myself out of it. I agree that it is greatly important to take a step back and appreciate the life around us.

[Jocelyn Ward]

Just reading your article made me feel more optimistic about reaching my inner Zen. I love the idea of going on a virtual vacation since limited resources make it more difficult to go on a physical one as often as I'd like. And, I've actually used candles and aromatherapy to create a calm atmosphere and am definitely going to try music and lighting per your suggestions. Thanks again for these great tips!

[lienaita]

Thank you for reminding me that I need Kitchen Zen. Desperately.

[Christina Aubin]

Thanks for a much needed post. #9 works well for me. I take a camera and it helps me to notice the small things such as an interesting tree root, a blossom, a bird or just the play og light.

[MelissaKnowsBest]

ZEN RABBIT!
.......()(­)
.__(="=)__
.......( . )
...c((")("­)

[Chris McGinness]

Number 9 works really well for me. On the drive to-and-from work, I always looks beyond the traffic to see the mountains in the background and the sky above. It takes away the stress.

[Justin Goudreau]

Great ideas to create a more mindful lifestyle. I'll be looking for more tips.

[Carolyn Rubenstein - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you so much!

[charlesL]

Virtual Vacation! I love it. Some times the stress of it all can really get to me and I often need a visual escape from the everyday.

[Carolyn Rubenstein - Huffpost Blogger]

So happy you like the idea! Have a wonderful vacation :)!

[Ben Spoont]

I wanted to add to my comment that I really enjoy your example of the knowledge treasury. It is definitely something I wish to be able to do myself!

[Carolyn Rubenstein - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank You! It's definitely an imperfect process so don't hesitate to get started :).

[Lili Motta]

Thank you for this article Carolyn, I need to create a calm atmosphere not only at my desk at work but at home as well, I am sure it will help me to concentrate a whole lot more.

[Carolyn Rubenstein - Huffpost Blogger]

I hope you are able to begin creating a calm atmosphere both at work and at home. Little things like clearing your desk of clutter or removing unnecessary "stuff" from home can make a huge difference! When I'm writing, I'll notice that I'll lose track of what I'm doing due to piles of paper sitting on my desk. I would never think that piles of paper could do that, but it does for me. So try a few simple things and see what works best for you :). Let me know how it goes!

[Ben Spoont]

Your comment about taking in the scene is something I try very hard to do when traveling. I love to just go outside and look and takein the surroundings. This makes me happy, and helps me to achieve my inner zen!

[Carolyn Rubenstein - Huffpost Blogger]

So happy you liked that point! It's so simple to do, yet we often forget to take in the beauty that surrounds us.

[IMissMichaelJackson]

Your posts on Zen have helped me cope with the loss of my idol, Michael Joseph Jackson. If only he had some more Zen in his life perhaps he would still be with us. Thanks for inspiring.

[Carolyn Rubenstein - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you for sharing how the posts have helped you. I'm happy that you have been able to use them to help you cope with the loss of Michael Jackson.