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Be aware of the world around you; notice the changing seasons and the beautiful sights, smells and sounds as you do your daily activities. Notice how you feel. Try this as you walk, eat lunch or wait for a train. Being aware of the ‘here and now’ can help you feel calm and reduce stress.
It means being aware of your thoughts and feelings as they arise, without getting lost in them. This can increase your ability to keep calm, reduce stress, think clearly, cope better with difficult situations and improve mood.
Many studies have shown that thinking about the past too much and worrying about the future is strongly linked with anxiety and depression (Michel et al., 2013). Although it is natural to respond to the stresses in our lives’ by thinking about them, it has been shown that, by focusing on the present moment, we reduce negative thoughts and maintain a level of calmness, which is good for our mental health and wellbeing.
Being aware of our sensations, thoughts and feelings have been shown to enhance wellbeing for several years (Huppert, 2009).
Being aware is a step towards self-awareness. By developing a better connection to ourselves, we are more aware of our needs, values and interests, and the behaviours consistent with them.
This idea is grounded in self-determination theory. This ability to self-regulate our behaviours is thought to be important for our wellbeing and mental health (New Economics Foundation, 2008).
Take time in your day to appreciate something good that is already present in your life: this is called ‘practicing gratitude’. Like any other skill, gratitude takes practice.
Feelings of gratitude directly activate brain regions associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine feels good to get, which is why it’s generally considered the “reward” neurotransmitter. But dopamine is also almost important in initiating action. That means increases in dopamine make you more likely to do something again. It’s the brain saying, “Oh, do that again.”
Studies such as Ng et al, 2012, where a group of Chinese researchers looked at the combined effects of gratitude and sleep quality on symptoms of anxiety and depression, found that higher levels of gratitude were associated with better sleep. Once they controlled for the impact of sleep, they found that people practising gratitude were less depressed.
Doing yoga or tai-chi and can help the body to stretch and move with an emphasis on being aware of our breathing which relaxes and tones our bodies as well as improving our mood. MRI studies of the brain show that people who practice yoga regularly have an enlarged hippocampus, critical to dampening stress, as were the precuneus and the posterior cingulate cortex, areas which are key to our concept of self (Villemure, 2013).
We can train ourselves to practice ‘mindfulness’. Awareness of thoughts, sensations and feelings for 8 to 12 weeks has been shown to enhance wellbeing for several years. In 2011, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Bender Institute of Neuroimaging in Germany, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, took magnetic resonance images of the brains of 16 participants 2 weeks before and after they joined the meditation program. The results suggest that participation in mindfulness is associated with changes in grey matter concentration in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, the way people process information about themselves, and perspective taking.
Data from the Pulse of Australia/News Corp survey found 31 per cent of households have lost income from employment, 23 per cent have lost income from investments and 35 per cent struggle with a higher cost of living.
JD Power – financial services and consumer insights firm found that while overall Australian household spending has decreased, credit card expenditure on household necessities and monthly bills is on the rise.
Avoid getting into more debt
Some people may be considering short-term solutions to their financial difficulties, however high interest rates associated with loans like credit cards and payday loans can have long-term effects and put you further into debt. Avoid compounding interest as before you know it that $1000 you owe will be $1500. Instead the experts recommend that you reprioritise spending, negotiate temporary support from your bank, tap into government support like JobSeeker payments (if applicable) or pick up different work.
Dealing with reduced cashflow
Take proper stock of your situation.
1. Write down everything you owe
Make sure this includes your exact balance, interest rate and minimum repayment on all your debts.
2. Work out how you can actually spend
Reprioritising your spending may make the difference. You could save money buy opting to buy generic grocery items over branded products and reviewing your subscription services to see what you can go without.
3. Reach out for assistance
In addition to reaching out to your bank or for government assistance you can reach out to providers to see if you can negotiate financial hardship relief,
If you need help with this you can contact National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007) who will help you negotiate your debts and organise repayments. You can also go to MoneySmart.gov.au, for resources.
4. Putting your debt into one basket
If you have multiple debts from different sources, ‘consolidating’ your debt into one account could help.
When you are working in the same space all day, it can feel like nothing changes, but in fact, things do change, you just have to be aware of them. Try the following:
“Whenever I travel, I get inside the airport, smell the coffee and I know I am home. Being aware of the smell seems to offer me great comfort.”
- Emily“I went camping last weekend and I was really surprised by how much I appreciated the silence. I camp probably 5-6 times per year but after reading about the 5 Ways, I think I notice the silence [more]. What a contrast!”
- Sergio“I had a bit of health issue this year and I thought I [wasn’t] going to make it for a moment. That gives you a different perspective! I now appreciate things I took for granted before – the sun shining on my face, [and] the laughter of my son and wife are the best things. It is amazing how being aware of what you have in your life and being grateful it for makes you feel much happier.”
- Bill
