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Do you find that you are spending far more energy attending to other people’s needs than to your own? Perhaps you need effective strategies that will allow you to access extra reserves of patience while navigating trying times. Personally, I woke up recently and realized I had been neglecting my own self care for too long. Stress was taking a toll on my mind and body. Once I got over my embarrassment about not walking my talk, I decided to gather my favorite self-help tips for practicing excellent self care. Far from being selfish, healthy patterns of self care allow us to be stronger, more effective and response-able in all areas of our lives. If you’re ready to feel better, I know you’ll appreciate my top stress management tips designed to empower your life:
Harness Your Breath
Anytime I realize I am tense, I check my breathing. Chances are good I have reverted to quick, shallow breaths in response to stress. My first step is to deepen my breaths and slow them down. Breathing in to a count of 7 and out to a count of 11 is very calming. I repeat this until I am more relaxed and ready to move forward with the tasks at hand.
Exercise Stress Away in Just One Minute
We all know that consistent exercise is one of the healthiest choices we can make. Just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week brings proven stress reducing benefits. On hectic days when I can’t find the time to work out, I rely on this 1 minute stress relieving exercise. Instead of trying to relax, do the opposite. Tense all the muscles in your body as tightly as possible. Hold that tension for 30 seconds, then let go to trigger a relaxation response.
Anchor a Positive Emotion
I love this tool from Neuro-Linguistic Programming that helps me access positive emotions anytime.
Remember a time when you were completely happy. Close your eyes, see that moment in your mind and step right into the event. Hear the sounds, feel your feelings, and notice the details from that event with all your senses. Right when you feel “filled up” in a very positive way, “anchor” the good feelings by firmly squeezing one of your earlobes with your thumb and forefinger. Do this each day for at least 5 days.
Afterward, you will be able to reach up, squeeze your earlobe during a stressful moment and feel better fast. I repeat this anchoring process regularly to maintain the effectiveness of the technique.
Want more? Stay tuned for Part Two tomorrow!
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