It is very true that, unfortunately, many people look to reduce feelings of worry and stress by doing the very things that, ultimately, bring on more of the same. Alcohol, drugs, and over indulgence in the wrong types of food all seem to offer an immediate solution to get away from the stresses of the day.
Now, I am not condemning sensible drinking or occasionally eating the 'wrong' type of food as a rare treat but the daily ingestion of such substances simply leads to poor health and a whole host of related negativity.
The question, though, is what are the alternatives? How can I relax and unwind without a few drinks?
The truth of the matter is this. A real, instantly accessible, answer is within you and you do it each day without even thinking about it. If you learn to harness this inner power you will, literally, have a way of eliminating stress, or at least greatly reducing it, without the need for things that are bad for you.
What is this 'inner power' I hear you cry! Very simply, it is your breath!
By learning a few simple exercises you can go a long way to beating stress while feeling healthier and more positive. If you perform repetitive actions such as deep breathing exercises then this helps in blocking out stressful thoughts. The more you repeat the activity and become proficient at it the easier it will be to unwind.
For an example of such an exercise try the one below for five minutes and feel how it aids in relaxation and reduces feelings of stress and worry.
1. Sit comfortably with your back straight. Place your hands on a table or desk in front of you.
2. From this position inhale until you feel you are full of air. As you do this I want you to imagine you are pulling a white pure light into your abdomen.
3. On completion of the inhalation hold this white light for a second (at most) in your abdomen then exhale.
4. Repeat five times slowly. This is the first step.
5. Now lets advance this! Do the same as above and have the white light in your abdomen area.
6. This time though do not simply exhale. Instead, as you exhale, imagine this white light spreading from your abdomen throughout your entire body. As it spreads into your legs, feet, chest and head allow it to soothe and relax your major body parts.
7. Do this at least five times slowly. This requires a slow exhale to allow time for you to visualise this pure, relaxing, white light time to spread throughout your whole being. Feel your muscles (and mind) loose any unnecessary tension.
Try this right now.
Give yourself five minutes to experience how just your controlled breath can really make a difference. At the end of each day perform this for five to ten minutes. Not only will it help tension to melt from your mind it will also benefit your health through your deep focused breathing gently massaging your internal organs.
Have at it!
? Tim Webb 2005
Tim Webb is a fitness instructor, Ju Jutsu instructor and competitor. He specialises in easily accessible deep breathing exercises that combine breath and mind together. His site http://www.breathforsuccess.com/ offers a product that provides deep breathing exercises for invigorating yourself, relaxing, and highlights how your breath can be tied in with your goals to move you towards them in record time!
eco-friendly cleaning service Buffalo Grove .."Watch your language."We all heard this admonition as kids and... Read More
We wonder how many of you might recognise this scenario?... Read More
What is the greatest fear of man? Is it death?... Read More
Feeling stressed out lately? Don't worry, there is a simple... Read More
In a recent CMA survey of 2251 physicians, over 45%... Read More
According to the StressPulse survey by ComPsych Corporation completed at... Read More
In order to free ourselves from the pain of anger... Read More
Whether we are at work, traveling, or at home, we've... Read More
While free-lancing for business magazines, I was assigned to write... Read More
1. The Law of StagnationThis is also known as first... Read More
Do you ever feel stressed? Is stress a regular component... Read More
One of the ways I have avoided a lot of... Read More
Meditation seems to have arrived in the mainstream of late,... Read More
WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYSExperts in the stress management field have... Read More
I came out of a nightmare 5-year period of anxiety... Read More
Looking for some quick stress relief?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More
In these times when companies are constantly down-sizing and right-sizing... Read More
"We do not stop playing because we grow old. We... Read More
The fall season signals a shift in most people's minds.... Read More
Punch a pillowScream into a pillowTurn on your favorite music... Read More
Rest.It's a good thing to do. As the story goes,... Read More
This is a tool to measure the amount of stress... Read More
Q: We recently had someone come to our company to... Read More
?And holding it way down inside you like an old... Read More
We've all been there, right? We find ourselves living with... Read More
express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..Defending your point of view can use up a lot... Read More
There is one sure fire medicine that cures all difficulty... Read More
Learn to have healthy relationships:This subject could fill an entire... Read More
Q. Help! I moved from the Dallas to Denver. I... Read More
To be a safe and predictable person for those around... Read More
When a great Zen Master returned to his country after... Read More
Learning methods of stress elimination is a vital skill in... Read More
In order to understand stress better, it is a good... Read More
You probably think I'm wacko, but it's true - stress... Read More
"I'm stressed out."If you find yourself thinking--or saying--this on a... Read More
Writing down our thoughts and feelings, as in keeping a... Read More
Whether we are at work, traveling, or at home, we've... Read More
Whenever we think of 'stress', negative thoughts come into our... Read More
Burt Reynolds revealed his vulnerable side when he realized he... Read More
Why do we resist change? As the saying goes, the... Read More
Today's workplace produces plenty of stress. Life's little hassles mount... Read More
Feeling stressed? Who isn't!! In today's society, feeling "stressed out,"... Read More
Over the years I've collected scores of comics and cartoons... Read More
Preparing for sleep the night before is the place to... Read More
Today we have more stress in our lives than ever... Read More
One of my favorite stories about change is the story... Read More
Many of my readers write to me about the tensions... Read More
We wonder how many of you might recognise this scenario?... Read More
"Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn... Read More
"Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make... Read More
Stress Management |