21 Simple Ways to Quiet the Mind

How to Clear Your Mind of Stress and Clutter

By Andrea Ferretti

It’s a beautiful thing to have a full, busy life—a life that’s filled with work, family, relationships, and hobbies. But many times that fullness cantranslate to overload and you feel as though you just can’t shut off thechatter in your brain. Even during moments of relative quiet—while you’re lying in bed or commuting to work—your mind runs through an endless tape loop of worries and fears, conversations, and plans. Not only does this create anxiety and stress, it can also mean that you miss out on the small and beautiful moments that present themselves in your daily life.

These 21 tips include both practical and playful ways for you find a doorway into a clear mind. Doing so takes practice, so don’t be frustrated if peace and quiet are elusive. Simply commit yourself to trying and you’ll find that even the smallest moments of clarity and presence will being you great joy.

Andrea Ferretti likes to clear her mind by taking a vigorous walk in the hills of San Francisco and then putting her legs up the wall in a restorative yoga pose. She is the executive editor of yogajournal.com.