By Jerry Mooney

It is difficult in the mania of 2017 to realize just how fast we’re moving or how far we’ve removed ourselves from the peace and serenity that we’re all capable of. We have shifting baselines; what we think of as normal would be completely surreal to certain generations of the past and probably many more of the future. Things are not all well in the world, and we’re not just talking on a political or environmental level: human happiness across the world is down, and that is (probably) down the unavoidable stresses and strains of modern life.

What, then, do you do if you’re caught up in the hamster wheel of rapid paced 21st century life? One solution is remove yourself entirely from this environment, but...modern urban life does have it’s advantages, so we’d live in the world without subject to its chaos. Here’s a starter guide to claiming your life back.

Source: Pexels.com

Slow Down

It sounds obvious, but it’s not so easy to feel at peace when we’re constantly running around from one thing to the next. We have to live a slow lifestyle. The buzzing of phones and laptop screens can have a hugely detrimental effect on how clear our minds are able to be. Introducing policies such as no technology after 7 or turning the Wi-Fi off in your home during evenings and weekends can go a long way to helping us feel more relaxed and at ease. Internet addiction is creeping up a large portion of society, and many don’t even know they have it - but if you’re checking your phone every few minutes or sitting on it for an hour at a time, you probably have some sort of problem. Disconnect - it might help!

Moving Things On

We buy a lot of things in our consumerist culture, and we very rarely think to move things and free up some stuff in our home. Having a lot possessions might feel tempting, but it’s a massive sap on our time, as we have to look after, clean, and use all the things we buy. A cluttered room will also clutter our mind a little bit; we need simplicity. If this sounds like your home, then load a trailer, one with strong spring suspensions if you have a lot of stuff, and take your unused items to a charity store.

Source: Pexels.com

Back to Nature

Too many people spend all their time living in heavily built up urban areas. Their connection to nature is almost non-existent. But the natural world has many, many benefits, ones that should make it an essential part of a person’s life. For example, just going for a quick 15 minute stroll somewhere beautiful is enough to lift our mood. It’s not always exciting, but it does make you think about your life and gives you the space to really get into a positive frame of mind. If it's been awhile since you’ve seen wide open spaces, book yourself a camping trip somewhere remote and reconnect with what it means to be a human.