Reduce Financial Stress With These Simple, Mindful Practices

Photo by Simon Rae on Unsplash

The other day, I shared a few mindful practices that are helping me keep an even keel during these oddly turbulent times.

I’m no yogi nor mindfulness guru, but that got me curious: perhaps someone more practiced would have some additional guidance. I contacted just such a person — a longtime practitioner as well as certified yoga teacher — with exactly that request.

And below is what I learned.

As financial stressors add up, it can take a toll not only on our bank accounts but also on our peace of mind. To reduce the stress caused by financial concerns there are a few key tips you really can’t go wrong with:

• Use your focus to create and implement a plan to improve your financial situation. Not thoughts, not intentions, but an actionable plan where the rubber meets the road.
• Use mindfulness techniques to clear the stress and create space for focus and growth, both generally and right in the moment of budgeting.
• Embrace a sort of manifestation (I know, I know, bear with me here…) to escape the financial negativity and desperation you might be experiencing.

Each of these will help to reduce the stress and worry surrounding the finances and help to improve the financial situation in ways that are sustainable and can remove the stress from your life permanently.

Meditation fundamentals for focus & space

When you are able to clear the cluttered thoughts from the front of your mind and create space for the focus on the finances that you need to address, you can create a financial plan to help meet all your goals.

To start this it is best to find a way of meditation that works for you.

For many this is an active meditation that is completed through an activity such as running, knitting, coloring, walking, or even a sport that you enjoy.

Being active in a way that is familiar and repetitive allows the mind to focus on the task and allows the other thoughts and the stress to dwindle, as those thoughts and worries will slow and decrease as the focus is moved from them and they are no longer being fed. (Personally, walking is…