Decluttering is one of those household projects everyone seems to put off. Have you been avoiding clearing out the clutter in your home? If you aren’t careful, unnecessary possessions can creep into every corner of your life.

Let’s paint a picture: You wake up late because you forgot to set your alarm. Rushing to get ready, you can’t decide what to put on because you “don’t have anything to wear.” You sneak into the kitchen so you don’t wake the kids and step on the loudest, flashiest toy. When you pull your favorite cereal from the cupboard, five other things fall out. You can’t find your keys — and that’s just your morning routine.

If that situation sounds familiar, this is your wake-up call. Start with just one small area of your home and remove a few things. You’ll feel so much better and lighter.

Why Should I Declutter?

Clutter can take over your life if you let it. Clear it out to gain these benefits.

1. Less Stress

Everyone has a different tolerance for the clutter around them — some have high thresholds while others are more sensitive. Junk, or your perception of it, can release the hormone cortisol.

This stress hormone can make you uncomfortable in the moment and, over time, could lead to chronic tension and even anxiety. Decluttering enough to get below your threshold will resolve those negative feelings.

2. Better Sleep

Each of your possessions has a message for you. Some things make you happy, while others, like the pair of jeans you don’t fit into, nag at you. The piles of stuff around your home taunt you for being “lazy” and not dealing with them sooner. All these subliminal messages run through your mind at night, keeping you from sleeping. Take back control of your home and your rest.

3. Cleaner Home

Clearing out the clutter inevitably makes your home look better. Also, each room you declutter will be so much easier to clean. There will be fewer things to put away and dust. What a win!

4. Increased Gratitude

When you clear out the garbage and items you no longer use or need, you’re left with only the things you truly value and love. Living with less gives you a new appreciation for what you already have.

5. Extra Movement

The last bonus is an unintentional one. If you stick with this process and declutter your whole home, you’ll get a lot of extra movement. Each time you tackle a space, give it a good clean to increase your calorie burn.

Popular Decluttering Techniques

There are many decluttering methods and choosing what’s right for you can be hard. Remember with any technique you select to dispose of your unwanted items responsibly, reusing, repurposing and donating what you can.

1. KonMari Method

This highly popular method comes from organizational guru Marie Kondo. Her solution to decluttering is to pull together everything from a single category and decide whether it sparks joy. If not, get rid of it. Seeing all you own of one type of thing is very eye-opening, especially when you’re staring at a bed full of every article of clothing.

2. Minimalist Game

This method turns the challenge of decluttering your home into a game. Try inviting a friend or two to do this with you and keep each other motivated to continue. You play for 31 days in a row. On day one, declutter just one item. On day two, you get rid of two. Then, on day three, you remove three things from your home.

Each day of the challenge increases your number of items. You get to slowly build up your decluttering muscles, and by the end of the challenge, you’ll have removed almost 500 items from your life!

3. Four Box Method

This technique is very straightforward. You can tackle a room at a time or even just one drawer — you get to choose. Set up four boxes or bins nearby and place every item into one. You’ll need one container each for put away, give away, throw away and uncertain. Research how to dispose of your throw-away pile properly, especially e-waste.

4. No Mess Method

The previous method is very organized but leaves a big mess to take care of at the end. Author and YouTuber Dana K. White pioneered a mess-free approach. It may take a bit longer because you put away, throw away or dispose of an item immediately rather than make piles, but it lets you stop at any time and not have a mess to worry about.

Don’t Overthink It

Progress is more important than perfection here. Just get started. Every little bit is a win when you’re just beginning the journey to having less clutter. Don’t put it off another day. Choose your favorite method and give it a try.

Author Bio

Jane is an environmental writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co where she covers sustainability and eco-friendly living.

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We typically think yoga is a physical practice that involves various poses and breathing techniques. Did you know that the mindful repetition of a word or sound is also a type of yoga? The chanting of sacred sound vibrations is known as mantra yoga, japa, or mantra meditation. This ancient practice is one of the most powerful ways to clear your mind, focus your concentration and calm your emotions. This type of yoga is a simple yet potent practice that can be easily learned and only requires a minimum of 15 minutes a day to practice.

What is a mantra?

A mantra is a word, or a series of words chanted aloud or silently to invoke spiritual qualities. The Sanskrit root word ‘manas’ translates as mind, and ‘tra’ means instrument or tool. It is commonly translated to mean “an instrument or tool for the mind” or “that which when reflected upon, brings liberation.”

Mantras are mystical formulas of sacred syllables, which were originally revealed to the Rishis (seers or sages) in the deepest states of meditation. They are one of the earliest components of yoga and are possibly the first type of meditation that was developed. The most popular mantra is Om or Aum, and it is often used as the seed mantra in longer chants. They are usually composed in the language of Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, and Prakrit, or sometimes in Hindi or Gujrati. They are believed to have magical powers for healing, protection, prosperity, but in mantra yoga they are used primarily for spiritual development.

What is mantra yoga?

Mantra yoga is a meditation practice that focuses on chanting sacred syllables along with conscious breathing and a meditative focus to quiet the mind, cultivate spiritual energy, and create states of enlightenment. The practice of chanting a mantra is considered one of the easiest yet powerful forms of meditation.

Mantra yoga is the ancient science of sound vibration. It is based on the belief that everything we do involves energy; our thoughts, words, actions and emotions are all part of a larger energetic field called prana, or life force. As we think or do something, we send out a wave of energy into the world. When we repeat a mantra over and over again, we focus that energy inward, allowing us to tap into our deeper selves and gain greater mastery over our minds.

In mantra yoga, the practitioner chants a particular mantra repeatedly to create a meditative state. Chanting these sacred sounds helps focus the mind on the meaning and vibration of the words. As a practitioner’s awareness revolves around the repetition of the sacred sound, its pronunciation and its meaning, a psychic energy is cultivated, which can be used for spiritual purposes and to connect with the divine.

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Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years for enlightenment, mindfulness and inner peace, yet it only recently has been incorporated with the practice of gratitude. Gratitude mediation encourages you to focus on the things you are grateful for in your life. It helps you appreciate the small blessings in your life and boosts your mental and physical health. Gratitude meditation is a great way to start each day and end each day with happiness and joy. It’s also a powerful way to reap both the benefits of meditation and a practice of gratitude.

What is gratitude meditation?

In gratitude meditation, you focus your attention on feeling grateful and appreciative. Centering our mind on positive emotions while breathing slowly and deeply promotes a peaceful heart, a clear mind, and a balanced body. As you bring all of your mental focus and concentration to feeling a state of thankfulness and gratitude, your thoughts will quiet down so you can shift into a state of meditation. You can also use this technique any time of day to help overcome any negative feelings or emotions that may be present in your life.

Benefits of gratitude meditation

There are several powerful effects of gratitude meditation that are beneficial for your well-being and mental health. First, it helps you appreciate all that you already have. Second, it helps you develop a sense of gratitude for all that you experience on your life’s journey—both the happy times and challenging moments. Third, it cultivates contentment through appreciation, which leads to more inner peace, happiness, and joy. Finally, meditation for gratitude teaches you to live in the present moment instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

By focusing our attention on gratitude, other positive habits naturally arise. Practicing gratitude meditation cultivates patience, empathy, generosity, humility, joyfulness, and optimism. It also reduces stress, worry, anxiety, and other negative feelings. Gratitude meditation helps us cultivate an attitude of gratitude towards everything around us, while requiring only a minimal amount of cost, time, and effort.

Gratitude meditation practice technique

1. Identify the things in your life that you are grateful for. Write down three things (people, places, experiences, etc.) that you are thankful for right now. For example, I am grateful for my family, my job, and my home.
2. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Make sure you feel warm, because the temperature of the room will affect your comfort level. If you’re feeling cold, put on a sweater or wrap a meditation shawl around you.
3. Find a comfortable position with your back straight. Feel your spine long and your shoulders and jaw relaxed. You can place pillows and blankets under your knees and hips for support.
4. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths into your belly.
5. Focus your attention on the first thing on your list. Summon up feelings of gratitude, thankfulness and appreciation for this person, place or experience. Think about how much they mean to you and how lucky you are to have them in your life. Notice how you feel when you acknowledge these things. If your mind wanders, bring your attention back to feeling grateful. Keep breathing slowly and deeply.
6. Repeat with the second and third things on your list.
7. End your meditation by imagining or feeling blessings of gratitude surrounding you or raining down upon you. Focus on the fact that you have everything you need right now and that and abundance of beauty, peace, and joy surrounds you. Place your hands over your heart and take a few slow deep breaths, feeling gratitude for all the good things that you have in your life.

Tips to deepen your gratitude meditation

• You may wish to keep a gratitude journal so you can record your thoughts and feelings as you go through each session.
• If you are struggling with the above instructions, you can use a guided gratitude meditation video.
• If you need a shorter meditation session, only place 1-2 things on your list. Likewise, for a longer session, create a longer list.
• You can incorporate Sanskrit mantras into your meditation. See our list of the best gratitude mantras to explore.
• Have a regular and consistent practice. For the best results, make it a habit and part of your daily morning or evening routine.
• Consider reading an inspiring quote on yoga and gratitude at the start of your meditation.
• Meditation teacher Jack Kornfield suggests that when you are comfortable with your gratitude practice, you can challenge yourself by being grateful for “neutral people, difficult people, and even enemies—until you extend sympathetic joy to all beings everywhere, young and old, near and far.”

Why should you practice gratitude meditation?

It is said that if you look at your life through rose-colored glasses, you will see only the good things. But if you look at it through dark lenses, you will see all the problems, failures, disappointments, and pain. Gratitude meditation gives us the opportunity to see the lighter side of life. Instead of dwelling on our negative emotions, we can learn to recognize and appreciate the positive aspects of our experiences.

When we experience events and situations as opportunities to grow spiritually and emotionally, then we feel grateful for those opportunities. This leads to a feeling of contentment and happiness. On the other hand, if we see things negatively, we tend to feel stressed out, anxious, angry, upset, and depressed. When we are able to recognize experiences as blessings, then we become happy and thankful. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow.

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Many people want to learn how to be confident in different situations, but it’s not always easy. Maybe we’re too addicted to comparing ourselves or maybe social media has brainwashed us to believe that we should all be rich, famous, and in incredible shape.

Anyway, today I’d like to share a simple yet super effective tip that skyrocketed my confidence back in time. I’m surprised why so few confidence guides talk about this, so I’ll share it here with all the awesome people like you.

The best thing is, this technique is proven, fairly easy to implement, and can bring you huge results if used properly. Alright, let’s start.

Understanding human psychology

To learn this technique, you must first understand some basics of confidence and human psychology. Confidence is basically your ability to trust yourself and your capabilities in different situations. You’ll achieve ultimate confidence when you know that you can handle a certain situation, regardless of what happens.

When you do something you’re very capable of, you’ll probably feel confident because you know that the outcome will be positive. But what if I told you that even negative outcomes could be turned into your favor?

See, whether the result of something you do is positive or negative, it’s all up to you. It’s not about whether you succeed or not. It’s about how you see and carry yourself with your capabilities. By changing your mindset and actions, you can also change how the world around you reacts to you.

The key to this technique lies in human psychology. With the right mindset and actions, you can deal with any outcome in any situation and thus be confident.

“Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear.” – Norman Vincent Peale

How to use this technique and be confident

Let’s say you’re giving a presentation but you haven’t prepared well. This gives you insecurity because you could end up embarrassing yourself. The presentation starts well, but eventually, you forget your lines, freeze, and everybody starts laughing.

So what do you do? If you start apologizing and hating yourself in front of everybody, you’ll probably end up with even more insecurity. Instead, you can carry out yourself with dignity and respect by saying something like: “Good to see you’re having fun, these presentations are usually so boring. I should probably start forgetting more stuff to keep you hooked!”

When you do this, you signal that failing is OK, and it isn’t embarrassing at all. It was actually a good thing because everyone was having fun. This is what carrying out yourself with dignity means. Think about how confident you’d feel before the presentation if you knew that you can deal with failures that easily.

If you’ve mastered your mindset properly, you also believe that it is OK to fail and you could easily turn that negative outcome into your favor. On top of that, the other people would definitely sense your confidence and start to respect you more. 

When you start receiving the external validation, you’ll end up being even more confident. This leads to a positive spiral of confidence that will amplify itself.

Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

Giving a presentation is only one example. You can carry out yourself like that in almost any negative situation! Executing this technique effectively consists of three things:

1. Realize that failing at something or having flaws is ok and it doesn’t determine your worth. 
2. Figure out a way to carry out yourself in a way that signals confidence and turns the situation in your favor.
3. Remember that other people will see you as you see yourself, and let the positive results amplify your confidence.

Carrying out yourself with respect is a powerful way to deal with negative consequences. This helps you to be confident because you know that you’ll end up being fine regardless of the outcome.

Many people try to be confident by impressing others and bragging about things that they have succeeded at. And when they face failure and negative consequences, their insecurity will take control.

You’ll have to focus on yourself first. Change your own actions and mindset to serve you. You’ll need to become comfortable with your flaws, knowing that everyone has them. Accept the change that you will fail at something at some point, but it’s totally OK.

When you start with yourself and master your mindset, you’ll find out that your words and actions start to reflect it when you end up in a difficult situation. And when you know that other people will see you just as you see yourself, your confidence will skyrocket.

Again, to be confident, you must feel like you can deal with any outcome in a situation. And this technique gives you the tools to deal with negative ones. It’s as simple as understanding human psychology, becoming comfortable with a negative outcome, and carrying out yourself with self-respect and confidence.

Becoming more confident day by day

Learning this technique requires some practice, but since you’ve learned human psychology, you’re already on your way to success. So, start putting yourself out there and practicing. If it feels too intimidating, start with your mindset, and going out there becomes easier.

Think about the different situations you can use this. Somebody insults you for being too short but you turn it into a joke by saying that it’s good because you’ll fit better in your future Lamborghini. Or your flaw that comes up in a conversation but you admit it like it’s not a big deal.

In conclusion, remember that the world around you reacts to you as you react to yourself. Knowing this helps you to be confident because you can turn even the negative outcomes in your favor. When you master this technique, it’s like an invisible force field that turns the world into your oyster.

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Yogis have used the chanting of the divine sound of Om for thousands of years to induce meditation and create a spiritual connection. Udgeeth pranayama is an ancient breathing technique that uses the sound and vibration of the Om or Aum mantra as its focus. It is also called the chanting breath, and it is considered as one of the simplest pranayama breathing exercises. This basic yet powerful practice helps to clear your mind, remove negative thoughts, reduce stress, improve sleep quality, increase energy levels, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system.

What is udgeeth pranayama?

The word udgeeth means “deep and rhythmic chant” while pranayama means ‘breathing exercises’ or “mastery of breath and energy.” Udgeeth pranayama is a breathing exercise using the rhythmic chanting of the Om mantra. It originates from the word “udgitha” which was described in the Chandogya Upanishad, one of the oldest yogic texts. This scripture defines udgitha as the chanting of the mantra Om. It describes the deep rhythmic chanting of the sound of Om combined with the conscious control of the breath as the most powerful way to use the mantra.

Benefits of udgeeth pranayama

There are several physical and spiritual benefits of udgeeth pranayama. The practice of this pranayama helps strengthen concentration and focus, especially where there are external noises to distract you. It also helps clear out negative thoughts and emotions like guilt, fear, anger, and sadness. A recent medical study showed this breathing practice can boost weight loss and strengthen the lungs by improving pulmonary function. Another study found chanting Om for 10 minutes improved attention, created a positive mood, and cultivated a sense of social cohesion. It also known to help reduce stress, improve breathing, promote peaceful sleep and increase energy levels. Spiritually, udgeeth pranayama can bring about a state of trance-like awareness and create a sense of unity between us and the universe.

Udgeeth pranayama instructions

Here are the six steps involved in chanting breathing. You can practice this pranayama for 2-10 minutes, 1-2 times per day.

1. Sit in a stable and comfortable position with your spine straight and long. If seated on the floor, you can use a cushion or folded blanket under the back of the hips for support. If seated on a chair, make sure both feet are flat on the floor.
2. Close your eyes or soften your gaze and start to take deep breaths through your nose. Allow your body to relax and bring your awareness to your breath. Make sure there is no tension in the shoulders, neck or face.
3. Focus on using diaphragmatic breathing so that only the belly rises and falls with the breath. Begin to chant the mantra sound Om with each exhalation.
4. Work on having the exhalations as long as possible without strain. Allow the breath to create the sound.
5. As you chant Om focus on the vibration of the sound and the sensation of the breath. Experiment with having the sound loud enough to keep your attention focused on the practice.
6. Repeat the chanting while keeping your breath slow and your attention focused. End the practice with a moment of silence to integrate your experience.

Breathing practice tips

• Breathing exercises should always be done in moderation, and without strain. If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and rest.
• When practicing any type of breathwork, it’s best to start out small and gradually increase time spent practicing each week.
• It’s recommended that you do not force yourself to breathe deeply if you’re feeling anxious or stressed. Instead, focus on relaxing your mind and body before beginning your session.
• Deep breathing techniques will help reduce stress levels and anxiety, but they won’t replace therapy or medication.
• If you have a medical condition, it is best to consult your doctor before starting any type of yoga or breathing exercise.

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The conscious use of the breath is a key component in yoga. While there are many different breathing techniques, the main yogic breath to use throughout your practice is the diaphragmatic breath, also known as belly breathing or abdominal breathing. This is a type of breathing that involves using your diaphragm instead of your chest to breathe. It requires less effort and energy while reducing stress and anxiety and improving overall health and wellness. Unless instructed by your yoga teacher, you should use diaphragmatic breathing throughout your entire yoga session.

What is the Diaphragm?

The diaphragm is the primary muscle that controls breathing. It’s a large dome-shaped muscle located between lungs and your belly, just below the ribcage. it moves up and down when you breathe, allowing air to pass through into your lungs. The intercostal muscles between ribs are considered separate accessory breathing muscles. These are activated during chest breathing and require more effort and energy than using the diaphragm.

What is diaphragmatic breathing?

In diaphragmatic breathing, you consciously breathe only with the diaphragm—the intercostal muscles remain relaxed. Thus, the belly rises and falls with the inhalation and exhalation while the rib cage has little or no movement.

Benefits of belly breathing

Breathing exercises have been used since ancient times to improve health and well-being. There are seven major benefits associated with belly breathing that help strengthen and support a yoga practice. When you breathe through your belly, you’re not only reducing stress and anxiety from getting in the way of your practice, you are also creating a stronger connection between the mind, body and breath. Learning and using this breath in your practice will ultimately help you reach your full potential.

1. Reduces stress and keeps you calm
   Yoga breathing helps us release stress by activating the relaxation response, reducing cortisol levels, and increasing blood circulation throughout our bodies. This increases oxygen levels in our bloodstream, which allows our brains to function better and stimulates endorphins, which make us feel happy and relaxed.
2. Increases energy levels
   When you breathe through your belly, you slow your breathing rate and heart rate and increasing the efficiency of your heart and lungs. You also are not spending energy by activating your chest muscles. This frees up more energy for other activities and reduces feelings of fatigue.
3. Boosts immunity
   Belly breathing has been shown to increase immune response. A 2018 study showed practicing deep breaths increased the production of lymphocytes, one of the most important cells for a healthy immune system.
4. Relieves pain
   Deep breathing helps improve blood and oxygen circulation and encourages muscles to relax. This reduces muscle spasms and tightness, resulting in less pain.
5. Lowers blood pressure
   A recent study showed significant clinical improvement that contemplative belly breathing can lower blood pressure. Notably, this reduction occurred with only only 9 minutes of practice a day.
6. Strengthens the lungs and diaphragm
   Deep breathing causes the diaphragm to contract, which strengthens both the diaphragm and the lungs. Actively engaging the diaphragm improves lung capacity, volume and efficiency.
7. Improves core muscle stability and posture
   Activating the diaphragm by breathing into the belly also strengthens the core muscles of the body. The deep and side-core abdominal muscles are activated to stabilize your pelvis, spine and posture. Also, when practicing belly breathing, you’ll notice how much more comfortable the exercise is when you have a tall and straight spine.

Diaphragmatic breathing technique

Here are the five steps involved in diaphragmatic breathing. You can practice this pranayama for 5-10 minutes 1-2 times per day.

1. Sit in a stable and comfortable position with your spine straight and long. If seated on the floor, you can use a cushion or folded blanket under the back of the hips for support. If seated on a chair, make sure both feet are flat on the floor.
2. Close your eyes or soften your gaze and take several deep breaths through your nose. Allow your body to relax and bring your awareness to your breath. Make sure there is no tension in the shoulders, neck or face.
3. Put a hand on your upper chest and a hand on your stomach. Inhale slowly through your nose until you feel your stomach rise slightly against your hand. Exhale slowly and feel your stomach fall away from your hand towards your spine.
4. Work towards having your breaths be slow and deep with only the stomach is moving. Try to keep the chest as still as possible. Continue with these deep breaths for several minutes.
5. Once you have learned the technique, work on applying belly breathing during yoga classes while holding poses, especially the challenging ones. You can also explore other yoga breathing exercises to support your practice.

Breathing practice tips

• Breathing exercises should always be done in moderation, and without strain. If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and rest.
• When practicing any type of breathwork, it’s best to start out small and gradually increase time spent practicing each week.
• It’s recommended that you do not force yourself to breathe deeply if you’re feeling anxious or stressed. Instead, focus on relaxing your mind and body before beginning your session.
• Deep breathing techniques will help reduce stress levels and anxiety, but they won’t replace therapy or medication.
• Diaphragmatic breathing is particularly effective to calm your mind and body when used with meditation.
• If you have a medical condition, it is best to consult your doctor before starting any type of yoga or breathing exercise.

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