For many of us, taking time and doing things that help to clear out the stress and tension is essential to feeling vibrant. Most of us carry a lot in our minds every day, more than we might realize or give ourselves credit for. Every single human is balancing some combination of work, relationships, finances, emotions, in their minds. It can be a lot of keep track of or feel relaxed about. It can be easy to forget that things can be simple, life can feel good and there is so much wonder and beauty in this temporary human experience.

It's vital to have experiences and practices that help you embrace life more fully.  If we don't give ourselves time to go inwards to recharge, reset, and clear things out, we can accumulate tension, burn out or not feel so excited about life.

Fortunately, there are many practices and activities we can do to recharge and reset ourselves. Some are possible to do every day, while others are more occasional and special. Every one of us is unique, and different things will work for each of us and you're by no means confined to this list. Find things that help you recharge your inner battery and recalibrate. 

Here are 12 ways to recharge and reset your soul:

1. Meditate

This is an example of something you can do to recharge, reset, and clear energy every single day. 15 minutes each day spent in meditation can change your mindset, energize your mind, and have you feeling lighter. If you're newer to meditation, don't worry too much about doing it correctly, or where to start, there are many classes online to teach you how to meditate. If you have experience meditating, you know the benefits come from actually doing it, not merely knowing that it's beneficial, so practice!

Meditating your mind is similar to exercising your muscles. The more you exercise your mind in meditation, the easier it becomes to drop more deeply into meditation over time. The science and data are increasingly convincing that those who meditate benefit in their physical and mental well-being. Prioritizing meditation for yourself, it is truly worth it in what it gives back to you.

2. Practice Yoga

Similar to meditation, yoga can be an everyday reset button for you. You don't need to practice for two hours per day, as even 10 to 15 minutes of yoga a day can get the energy in your body smoothed out, and your mind feeling more at ease. There is so much yoga online of all styles, making it easier to fit yoga into your schedule than ever. 

The science also supports yoga's benefits in releasing stress and tension in the body and mind. More than the strength and flexibility in your body, yoga's ability to help you clear out your mind, is what makes it truly special and worthwhile.

3. Fast

If you're feeling like you need a special cleansing moment, fasting is a true mind-body-soul experience with potent effects on all three things. A day or more without food gives your body the time and space to heal your cells and other organs and systems of the body since it's not pre-occupied digesting food, which takes a great deal of energy. You can combine these tips and meditate or practice yoga while you fast. 

A fast is most commonly 1 - 3 days. Listen to your body and plan to fast on days you can rest, as it's common to feel lethargic and restful while fasting. While the physical benefits of fasting are more obvious, there are mental, emotional. and spiritual benefits to an occasional fast. Many religions and cultures around the world fast during their most holy occasions, as there is an energy of clearing out and resetting on all levels associated with fasting.

4. Go Camping

Time in the great outdoors can do wonders for the mind. The beauty of camping is its simplicity. In our tech indulged era and minds, going back to the roots in nature can help you reset and recharge.

If you've never gone camping alone, it's a powerful rite of passage type experience. It is also special to enjoy camping with others and share delicious food and time together around a fire. 

5. Go on a Vacation

Time to freely just be, somewhere away from home is good medicine for the soul (not just in a tent). There are different benefits to returning somewhere love and have been before or experiencing somewhere for the first time. Yoga retreats around the world are another wonderful way to give yourself time to recharge and reset and unique vacations.

6. Take Time Off of Work

Everyone needs time to relax. Working hard feels good for many. However, giving yourself time to unplug, rest, and recharge from your work, can actually make you more productive and powerful in your work. You have to refuel to pace yourself as you flourish in your work. Working hard feels good for many. You have to refuel to pace yourself as you flourish in your work, as a workaholic becomes very tense over time and less fun to be around.

7. Rest Days

Allow yourself days to really unwind, and relax with nothing else planned. Maybe, it's every Sunday, maybe you only do this once per month, or once per season, but whenever you need to, give yourself permission to have a day with no to-do lists or plans. Enjoy a day with space to simply do whatever you feel like. 

8. Spa Day

Treat yourself! Get a massage, get a haircut, or go to a spa. However simple or indulgent it feels, let yourself be pampered sometimes. This can do wonders for your spirit, especially if you spend much of your time giving your time and energy so freely to others.

9. Walk

This is something else that can be done daily. A simple walk can be a profound part of your day and give your mind space to clear.

10. Craft & Make Things

Knit, collage, paint, draw or decorate. If you feel creativity wanted to express itself through you, let it. Getting into a flow state by making art and being creative is such a powerful way to let your mind unwind. When immersed in a creative project for a while, it can be a good time to make decisions.

11. Listen to something uplifting on YouTube Every Day for 15 minutes

Adding media that can expand your mind, to your repertoire, can do wonders. Youtube talks from people like Brian Scott, Abraham Hicks, and Louise Hay can be perfect to fill your head with, and even can be played in the background while you work or get errands done around the house. Listen to teachers and messages that inspire you, you can do it every single day, even for a few minutes or in the car and it will plant good seeds in your mind and subconscious. There is nothing wrong with listening to music all day or even indulging in trash television sometimes, but adding even a little bit of uplifting and inspiring content for your mind is worthwhile.

12. Exercise

Moving your body, whether through running, yoga, weight-lifting, gives you space to get out of your head, and into your body. It also allows your body to get stronger. 

Find what works and feels best for you to give yourself a boost. We are human and are bound to encounter things that throw us off center sometimes. The key is to let them go and to move through you as graciously as possible, instead of letting unpleasant things accumulate in your body and mind. The experiences to help you reset that are more occasional (like vacations, retreats, fasting), can give you the inspiration to stay light moving forward in your day-to-day life long after you've done them. The daily activities to reset and recharge (like yoga, meditation, or walks), can become habits over time if you want them to be. 

Remember to let things go, do things that satisfy your soul, and take wonderful care of yourself.

By Keith Allen

For Keith, yoga is about connecting deeper to who we truly are and using the practice to enjoy our lives more. His classes balance a meditative focus with safe alignment. He has studied extensively from different teachers, lineages, and styles around the world, and remains a passionate and dedicated student of yoga and meditation. Enjoy Keith's yoga classes on YogaDownload.com.

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Meditate and Cultivate Calm with Keith Allen