In the pursuit of happiness, stress is a colossal road block. It manifests in our bodies as aches and pains, heartburn, and insomnia. In our minds it shows up as irritability, accident-prone behavior, and compulsiveness (over-indulgence, disorganization, gambling, etc.) Stress is toxic, and until we release it, trapped it remains, poisoning us and turning into dis-ease.
So why not make 2010 our happiest year yet? All we have to do is take a few definitive steps to better manage how we react to stress. The first step is to commit to living a more relaxed, harmonious and cheerful life . To that end, I offer the following guidelines from our yogi friend in Centreville, Phyllis Johnston. Why not join me in practicing these healthy habits in 2010?
Phyllis’s Five Easy Ways to Manage Stress
Let’s face it; stress is a part of life. But how you manage stress is what’s most important. Negative effects can be lessened or eliminated with these five healthy habits.
- Breathe. Yes, that’s right just breathe. We often hold our breath or breathe shallowly producing a stress response we don’t need (no tiger chasing you here). The yoga technique for breathing aids in the relaxation response. Sitting or lying down, place your hands lightly on your abdomen below your navel. Then breathe in and out slowly through your nose. Keep your focus on your hands and how they move as your breathe. On the inhale draw each breath deep into your abdomen. As you exhale, draw the abdomen in and expel as much air as you can. Continue for 3-5 minutes. Feel the sense of relaxation after this breathing. Practice this breathing while waiting at a red light.
- Exercise. I know you are short of time, but include some exercise into your day. If you start with a reasonable goal, such as five or ten minutes a day, you can be successful. Pick something you enjoy: yoga, walking, swimming, dancing, running, team sports, etc. Schedule exercise each day. Over time you will want to increase the amount of time you spend on your exercise because of how good it makes you feel.
- Sleep. I know you’re busy, but sleep actually gives you more time with less stress. It will take you less time to accomplish more things, you’ll feel better, and you’ll make fewer mistakes.
- Believe. Have faith in something greater than yourself. Tap into your spirituality. Know that you are blessed each day regardless of what is happening at this minute. Take a few minutes everyday to sit quietly and listen. You can take a five-minute break at work and just sit quietly. No one will notice and you will feel much better.
- Finally, surround yourself with positive people and thoughts. When you catch yourself having a negative thought, especially about yourself, immediately stop the thought and turn it into something positive. The more you tune into your thoughts, the more powerful this practice becomes. Many times we are negatively influencing our lives by our thoughts or the company we keep.
Phyllis Johnston, M. Ed., E-RYT is the owner of Every Body Yoga and Wellness in Centreville, MD.
Many thanks to Phyllis for sharing her stress relief plan.
Happy stress-free New Year, everyone!
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