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Crazed day? Hard week? Are you on the verge of losing it? That intense tension is a sure sign that you need to relax before you do or say something that you’ll regret.
I’m sure you’ve heard of “pay it forward.” Well, it also works in reverse. If you act like a jerk, there’s a chance you’re going to put someone else in a bad mood, which is a collective energy caca recipe. I’m also willing to bet that you probably don’t even like yourself when you’re so wound up that you feel like an angry, bitter, hot mess. You can tell yourself, I’m just a bitch or I like being an asshole, but you know you’re lying. Or if you’re the type of person to hold things in, you can smile all you want, darling, but that inner suffering can only be contained for so long.
Even if you have just one minute, you can start to relax right now. The key is to slow your mind and your heart rate.
If you have five minutes…
Take a walk. Go outside and move. Physical release does wonders for the body, but if you don’t have time to do a full workout, take five minutes to go for a walk around the block. Do not allow yourself to think about what caused your stress. Instead, become mindful of your surroundings. Focus on what is going on around you. I like to look for hearts, which I’ve seen in trees, leaves, and even the sidewalk.
Affirmation: I release all of my stress and worries. I have no room for it. I choose to be happy. I connect with nature and know everything is going to be okay.
If you have three minutes…
Listen to a song that makes you happy. As Bob Marley once said, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
The key is to not choose a song that’s just going to amplify your anger and stress. It can be chill or upbeat; just choose something that reminds you of your favorite vacation spot, relaxation activity or takes you to your happy place. You might even choose to listen to a nature track (e.g., ocean, birds, whales, waterfalls, etc.).
Affirmation: My life is a peaceful melody that I create. I dance to the music of my soul. I am happy being my own unique beat. My inner music is too loud to be disrupted by the noise of stress.
If you have one minute…
Just breathe. It really is that simple. If possible, find a place that’s quiet. Close your eyes. Inhale and count to four. Hold your breath and count to four. Exhale and count to four. Repeat four more times for a total of five sets. As you do this exercise, imagine that you are inhaling peace and exhaling your stress. Watch it float away.
Affirmation: I breathe in positive energy. I exhale negative energy.
Is your source of tension a repetitive pattern? If there is something going on that is recurring so that your “normal” has become coming home at night, exhausted, not wanting to talk to anyone or look at anyone. If you find you’re alienating people or missing out on things you used to love to do because you just “can’t adult” or “don’t feel like”, it’s a sure sign that there is something more going on that you need to pay attention to. When you no longer feel like yourself, recognize yourself, there’s a bigger issue. You also may feel like you have completely lost control of your life, but you also feel like if you stop to figure out what that is, you’ll drown, so instead you just keep swimming.
Here’s the truth: Five minutes of relaxation won’t change that. While it can certainly help you think more clearly and see things for what it is, you have to make some changes to eliminate that source of mega-stress. Nothing is worth being emotionally miserable or dealing with the negative physical manifestations of stress.
If this sounds like you, I encourage you to take advantage of a free one-on-one Life Purpose Coaching Session with me. I’ll give you 30 minutes of my time and three tips for living at peace and on purpose.
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