The keyif or kiff is a concept that allows you to refocus on yourself. A true “moment of interiority”, it helps reduce stress. How to practice it on a daily basis? Answers with Dana Castro, psychologist.
Have you barely gone back to school when you already feel overwhelmed? You are not alone. After long isolated months due to the pandemic, living at a slower pace (teleworking, no more outings, much less travel …), you have to resume an almost normal life without real transition. It’s not easy to get back to a fast pace and respond to the many daily demands. Added to this are the drop in temperatures, minor colds, the days that are getting shorter … How to better live this phase of depression on the plan psychological ?
The recipe could be … kiffer. Or more exactly, to start practicing the keyif, or kiff , Turkish term of Arabic origin according to Marie-Claire, which designates a moment just for yourself, when you cut yourself off from all parasitic thoughts in order to fully relax. Easier said than done, as psychologist Dana Castro confirms … But the result is worth it. Here is how to give yourself that time out of time.
What is the keyif?
“This is a concept that advocates self-centeredness”, defines Dana Castro. “The keyif is the art of enjoying the moment, it’s a concept that aims to stop in order to take the time to accept your emotions and thoughts as they come. It’s a real moment of interiority. “
Can everyone practice the keyif?
“Everyone would like, but in fact, it’s complicated”, specifies the psychologist. Why ? Because the keyif is a moment when we empty ourselves and during which we do not think about our obligations of the day. “We all have to-do lists on our minds: shopping, work… It’s an effort not to think about it. An effort of disconnection that few people manage to achieve. Sometimes, we have the impression that ‘we focus on ourselves but we don’t and we always have our tasks and our stress in mind. “
How to practice it on a daily basis?
Not easy to reach this moment of stopping and concentrating on oneself. To achieve this, Dana Castro advises:
- To get in good condition in a calm environment. “Calm is essential because it is about reaching a deep level of interiority, we must not think about what we have to do.”
- To put the Kéyif moment in the agenda. “At a time when we organize our whole day in an agenda, we must think of squeezing in a moment’s pause, stop.”
- To disconnect. “In a society where everything goes quickly, taking the time is not easy. You have to be prepared to do nothing, sit down, close your eyes, visualize pleasant things, in short, you have to disconnect from the rest Daily.”
What are the benefits for mental health?
“Practicing the keyif is a real act of benevolence towards oneself”, says the psychologist. “It’s doing yourself good because you relax”. The keyif also has a very invigorating effect: “It helps to de-stress because we cut ourselves off from all our tasks.” It is also effective in the fight against fatigue: “We constantly think about ‘It is necessary’ that I do this, ‘I have to’ to do that, and it consumes a lot of psychic energy. “ Thanks to this moment of stopping, we rest, we regenerate.
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How long is the keyif effective for?
“It all depends on the person. The ideal would be to practice it every day, but in reality, this
is not always possible because it is very difficult to disconnect “, says Dana Castro. “I
advises to do this as often as possible when you have the time. ” Close your eyes, it’s time to have fun …