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Finding Peace in 2 Minutes

Have you heard of the 2-minute rule? It’s a popular term for a productivity hack that, if you can master it effectively, will save you hours in the long run – and make you more productive and happier. In this article, we’ll share with you 2-minute hacks/exercises you can perform to calm your mind and feel instantly rejuvenated.

“To live more at peace, we must first and foremost become aware of our actions, thoughts, and reactions so that we can begin to change and break old habits. We must decide and realize that peace is essential to our well-being.”

We live in a world that is extremely challenging – constantly bombarded with news and events that often leave us feeling overwhelmed and overworked. Our lives today are incessantly noisy, frightening, relentless, confusing, and constantly in motion.

And with everything moving so fast and getting even faster, we have to constantly push ourselves to keep up while doing our best to stay sane in the face of all the challenges life throws at us. In short, we live our lives in constant chaos!

But do not worry, there are things we can do ourselves to quell the negativity and reduce the anxiety. So, there is good news: even when we find ourselves in the midst of hustle and bustle, frustration, and chaos, we can still find peace and calm. And to do that, we need to find a way to get in touch with ourselves before we venture out into the world.

To live more at peace, we must first and foremost become aware of our actions, thoughts, and reactions so that we can begin to change and break old habits. We must decide and realize that peace is essential to our well-being. And once you take this first step, it can take as little as two minutes to find peace and become calm.

In this article, I’d like to share with you some of the things you can do in those two minutes to find calm and peace.

1.Calm Your Thoughts

Set your timer for two minutes, then close your eyes and sit comfortably in a high-backed chair. Imagine your racing thoughts bouncing around like bouncing beans. Focus on your breathing and allow your thoughts to bounce back and forth in your mind before they fade away. Continue to focus on your breathing and let go of the thoughts of the bouncing beans.

2.Take Long and Low Breath

Take a moment, place your hands on either side of your rib cage and take a deep breath, then let out a long, deep breath. Pucker your lips so that the air escapes slowly and deliberately, and hiss as if you were a balloon releasing air.

Then take another deep breath, feeling your ribs open. Then take another long, deep exhale. Repeat the process a third time, letting the air out in a long, slow, whooshing stream. When you are finished, sit quietly for a few seconds and notice how you feel before moving on to the next activity of the day.

3.Be in the Moment

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to think about what you are doing. Then close your eyes and be attentive. Observe what is going on around you. As you become aware of what you are experiencing, pay attention to how your body feels. What are your thoughts? Tense? Relaxed? Pleasant? Take a deep breath in and exhale through your nose. Repeat this two more times before opening your eyes.

4.Take a Walk in the Forest

The silence of nature is an easy way to find immediate stillness. The background sounds of the wind blowing, animals scurrying about, and the phone turned off help the mind relax into nothingness.

5.Mindful Bathing

Close your eyes, relax your body, and breathe as you enter the bathroom. Pay attention to what is happening around you, as well as the sounds, smells, and feelings you experience. Allow yourself to enjoy them without judgement and to be present in the moment.

6.Positive Self-Talk

Self-talk is your inner narrative about yourself. It is your inner voice that you might or might not have thought about or not paid attention to. The truth is that our self-talk has a much greater impact on how we see ourselves and the world around us than we realize. If positive self-talk is not your natural instinct, you need to practise it. If your inner dialogue is generally pessimistic, you can learn to change it so that it is encouraging and uplifting.

Creating a new habit takes time and effort. Your thoughts can change over time. Positive self-talk can become the norm for you.

7.Meditation

Meditation is about achieving mental stillness. It is the practise of quieting the mind so that you can connect with the present moment and observe and accept all that is happening within you and around you.

And as you embark on this journey of meditation, you will soon realize that there are many facades of your “Self” that depend on your beingness and your consciousness, which is highly dependent on your own mind and emotions. Through deep meditation you are able to transcend yourself and discover that you are neither the body nor the mind, but pure consciousness expressing itself.

You learn to simply observe and acknowledge things as they are, in a state of mental and emotional calm, which helps you achieve a measure of peace in your life.

Remember that it is possible to find peace; all it takes is the first step of being open to it and believing that it can be achieved.

I hope that by incorporating these simple practises into your daily routine, you will be able to find peace and calm amidst the chaos of life. And if you are looking for someone to guide you on your journey, contact us at hello@iammichaelteh.com or follow us on social media @iammichaelteh.

Part of this article is credited to 2 Minutes to Peace: Everyday Self-Care For Busy People by Corinne Sweet

Michael Teh, 7th February 2023.

Michael Teh is a meditation coach devoted to a personal mission of awakening more people to higher consciousness. He teaches self-realization through meditation, qigong, yoga and philosophy.

Michael Teh Signature Workshop: The Essence of Life Series explores meditation as a powerful tool to realize our true potential. Michael has designed multiple workshops in this series to support his participants’ self-realization journey. Workshop Series 1 is currently running every few months on-ground in Kuala Lumpur, titled “Knowledge of The Self and Fundamentals of Meditation”.

Be sure to follow Michael’s social media channels and website for more updates:

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