10 healthy ways to escape the mundaneness of reality

 1) Read a book. 

      This will always be my top answer for escaping any situation. It doesn’t matter what type of book you read, it will transport you to another world. A world where your problems suddenly disappear as you immerse yourself into someone else’s story. You start to think about someone else’s life as much as your own. You will laugh, cry and grow along with each character you meet. As you venture further into their world, your world slowly fails to exist and it’s wonderfully refreshing. 

2)  Walk whilst listening to music

      If you can’t afford a plane ticket, then an iPod and a pair of decent earphones are the next best thing. It’s healthy to allow yourself some time alone to recuperate and if your house is far too crowded, grab your iPod and walk. Don’t even think about where you want to go – just walk. Let your feet wander and free your thoughts. It’s more therapeutic than you may think. 

            3) Talk to a stranger

      Or if that step seems a bit too daunting, then smile at a stranger. A quick social interaction between yourself and someone you have not established a connection with not only builds confidence but it’s scientifically known to make you happy. Or if that seems unnerving then chat to a stranger online. www.blahtherapy.com is a website specifically aimed to connect strangers across the globe to rant about their problems. Which brings me onto my next point…
  

        

      4) Write

      This is another personal favourite of mine. There are so many different forms of writing that suits a lot of people. Story writing, blogging, poetry, journals & diaries, lyrics, the list goes on. A blank piece of paper and the marvels of your mind can take you to the most wonderful places. You can create a whole world where you’re in control of every little detail. You can make this world as perfect or as flawed as you wish. Dare to escape into a world that is not your own.  

      

      5) Take photographs of strangers

      This a more lifelike way of indulging into someone else’s world. You will tend to get a feeling of sonder, when you realise that each stranger has a life that is as complex as your own.

      

      6) Watch inspirational, deep-meaningful films

      Proponents of cinema therapy say that, in addition to getting award nods, these and other movies can and will change the way we think, feel, and ultimately deal with life's ups and downs. An increasing number of therapists prescribe movies to help their patients explore their psyches. And while few therapists have actually gone so far as to package their practices around cinema therapy, movies -- like art, books, and music -- are becoming one more tool to help those in therapy achieve their goals and overcome their hurdles.  Here’s a few movies that could help;
- Castaway
-Into The Wild

-Spirited Away

-Life of Pi
-127 Hours
-Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -Forrest Gump
-The Shawshank Redemption
-The Pursuit of Happiness
-The Blindside
-Slumdog Millionaire

  7) Cook

      As soon as you get out the pots and pans you’re instantly focused on creating something delicious. There is only a primary focus on whether that spice will blend with your meat. If you’re not much of a cook like myself, then there are a plethora of websites that are at your disposal. BBC Good Foods is a personal favourite. 

    

     8)  Exercise

In the words of Elle Woods “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.” The hardest part is always starting, but just imagine that inevitable good feeling you’ll get after you’ve finished that workout.  

             

      9) Bath

      Imagine being comforted by a liquid blanket hugging your skin while you relax in a deep serenity surrounded by exotic smells that will create an illusion that you’re at a spa in the Caribbean. Now who wouldn’t want that?

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10) Meditate

This is conventionally a fairly sceptical practice. According to Lifehacker.com, “Using modern technology like fMRI scans, scientists have developed a more thorough understanding of what’s taking place in our brains when we meditate. The overall difference is that our brains stop processing information as actively as they normally would. We start to show a decrease in beta waves, which indicate that our brains are processing information, even after a single 20-minute meditation session if we’ve never tried it before.

In the image below you can see how the beta waves (shown in bright colours on the left) are dramatically reduced during meditation (on the right).” According to experts a better focus, less anxiety, more creativity, more compassion, a better memory and less stress is just some of the benefits that are gained from meditation. (For more information, check out http://lifehacker.com/what-happens-to-the-brain-when-you-meditate-and-how-it-1202533314)