1- BREATHE.
It’s FREE!
Breathe? Whadya mean Breathe? That’s IT? That’s too easy! Yep. It’s as simple as that believe it or not. Making it a priority to pause and take deep, soul-stirring breaths throughout the day is a luxury we deny ourselves-especially when we are under the gun. It’s not enough to remember to breathe deeply during yoga or meditation (for those that practice). Consciously pulling in, then releasing out the air we breathe throughout the day is grounding, centering, balancing and clarifying. And. It’s FREE! Another perk is that it feels good, and it sets you up to make better, more focused decisions and to hear your Inner Guidance more clearly.
2- HYDRATE WITH WATER.
Whadya mean coffee isn’t a stress reliever?????
Not Gatorade. Not Coconut Milk. Not Kombucha. Not coffee. But WATER. We are mostly water so why not supply yourself with whatchore made of? Taking time to drink, not gulp, down some water from a natural source boosts the immune system, helps with headaches, flushes out toxins, increases brain power and provides energy. Doesn’t mean you can’t have the other stuff, but try to make H2O your go-to. If you buy bottled water, read the label to make sure it is from a natural source. Couple that with deep breaths and you’re ready to slay again!
3- EXERCISE YOUR POSITIVITY MUSCLE.
What Positivity Muscle? That’s not part of the human anatomy…
If you’re basically a cynic, a skeptic, a realist or any other kinda ‘tellin’ it like it is person,’ try to shift your perspective every once in a while… then try more than every once in a while. Looking at the dark side of things sure does heap on the stress and then some! Flip da script, shift the ‘tude (as in attitude) open the blinds and let the light shine IN! Oops, you may actually feel good as a result… until the voices in The Mind Chorus chime in that you’re being delusional… ahhhh, that’s for another article but in the meantime, give locating and exercising your Positivity Muscle a workout! Psst… it’s in your heart.
4-Which brings me to… EXPECT THE BEST.
The person who always expects the worst to happen is right. The person who always expects the best to happen is right.
WHAT????? EXPECT THE BEST???? THE SKY IS FALLING, EVERYTHING IS IMPLODING THE WORLD IS A MESS POLITICS POVERTY THE ECONOMY MY MY MY!!!! Well now, aren’t these things rather stressful subjects to bat around while navigating your day? Focusing upon worry as opposed to being open in receiving ideas for solutions add to the muck and mire in The Mind Chorus. Our viewpoint and outlook make a huge difference on stress levels. Expecting the worst to happen all the time puts you in fight or flight mode. CONSTANTLY. Lots of adrenal firing which can lead to Adrenal Stress… which may be one of the reasons ya can’t sleep at night cause ya always wired… as much as we would like to, we cannot save the world as long as we remain in Stress Out Mode. Sure bad things happen, but good things also happen. The person who always expects the worst to happen is right. The person who always expects the best to happen is right. Which side of the fence do you want to sit on? One viewpoint always leads to much much much more stress. Right now, you may be looking at me (through the words on the page) like I’m crazy but I assure you, I am not. Living most of my life totally stressed out to the Nth degree, I have experienced first hand what expecting the worst can do and how it reeks havoc on the body. I have also experienced what expecting the best feels like. Not suggesting you bury your head in the sand or be naïve about personal, family or world crises, but I am suggesting that worrying about it doesn’t change it one bit.
5- CARRY AN ESSENTIAL OIL AROUND or keep it at your work station.
Essential oils are da bomb digeddy!
Don’t worry, it won’t fumigate a room if you just dab a very small amount on your wrist, (make sure you or the people near you have no allergies) or add a couple drops on a tissue or cotton ball. A hit from essential oils like Peppermint, (my personal fave) Lavender, or Chamomile can have a soothing, calming effect. Also helps with headaches, particularly if you combine it with tips 1-4.
6- PRESS ON THOSE PRESSURE POINTS.
They do a body good
They’re not just meant to disable your opponent in a fight. The body is loaded with pressure points, many in the hand, arm, chest, head and shoulder regions. Pressing on them can knock out a headache, boost energy, reduce heat, and calm ya right on down.
7- BREATHE DEEPLY. Oh yeah I said that. But one can never say that enough. Throw in an affirmation or two while you’re at it and like anything that’s new, it gets better with desire, diligence, intention and repetition–all in all, stress relief is a Practice.
In essence, we are the guardians of our temples for our life span. It is in our best interest to take as much good care of ourselves as possible. Being aware of what we eat along with getting enough exercise is great and essential, yet taking care of ourselves goes well beyond being vegan, veggie, pescatarian, carnivore or whether we get our laps around the track or in the pool on a regular basis–there is a Mindfulness aspect that often gets overlooked. Being Mindful of our stress levels and doing something constructive about it makes for a much more centered, more balanced, more enjoyable way of life.
Jacquie Bird is the author of the 7 Daily Thoughts & Mantras 4 Mindfulness eBook series, the Creator/Practitioner of StressBusters Guided Meditation, the Owner/Creator of the wellness brand SilkWire Jewelry, and an internationally known Master Teacher and Choreographer. She is also a singer-songwriter who Is currently working on a meditation digital album to be released late fall/early winter 2018 entitled SoundSoulVibin’ under the name Sephivah. in her past life she enjoyed a lengthy career as a performing artist on Broadway, stage, TV and film.