Tips For Stress Relief

Below are some strategies that I have found useful for everyday stress & anxiety.

• Exercise – get those endorphins pumping & work off all of that extra anxious energy! Even some gentle movement such as tai chi, yoga and pilates will bring great benefits, shifting old energy and bringing more calm and balance.

• Eat Well – wholefoods will make you feel more alive, clearer, and stronger.

• Reach Out - talking, problem solving and sharing with another person can really help! Seek professional help if you need it, there is nothing wrong with that, in fact I think it is very brave. If you have an empathetic friend or loved one to turn to that is perfect. Never underestimated the power of sharing and getting that stress out of your body.

• Get In Touch With YOU - Journal, meditate - really think about what you want in life. What do you need to change? What is stressing you out? Can you do something about it? What are you grateful for that you already have? Write down your goals and see if you are heading in the direction you desire.

• Self Care – do something just for you, a solo walk, a hot bath, sip on a cup of tea on the couch and do nothing else if that is what’s calling you. That space can help shift you from stress and overwhelm to calm and centered.

• Mother Nature - spend some time connecting with nature, go outside for a walk, visit the beach or sit in a park. Spending time outside will go a long way towards grounding you and clearing your mind.

FEED YOUR SOUL

• Deep Breaths - the breath is a very powerful driver of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest mode), notice how you are breathing right now, is it very shallow or calm and deep? Please find a few tips in the video below by Meghan Livingstone:

• Grounding – this one is so important, especially if you often feel that you are up in the clouds overwhelmed by scattered thoughts. Grounding will allow you to bring your conscious awareness back into your body so that you are fully in the moment and aware of what is really going on around you. It can help you break the spiral of stressful thoughts that may be going around in your mind. The best way is always going to be putting your feet on the earth (or grass, or sand!) and feeling the connection there. If you are inside, this is my favourite way to groundy:

Close your eyes and take 5 slow deep breaths. Imagine long tree roots going from your feet into the ground, connecting you to the earth. These tree roots travel all the way into the centre of the earth and anchor there, you are now grounded. Anytime you feel yourself drifting upwards into an anxiety spiral, focus on this grounding cord and repeat ‘I am safe, I am grounded’.

• Meditation – this is the best way to hear your inner voice, and get clear and grounded! Highly recommend the free ‘Insight Timer’ App for this. If you are at work (or somewhere where you can’t sit on the ground cross-legged and chant for an hour), here is a quick exercise that I find super helpful:

Find somewhere quiet and be still. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths while you examine your body with your mind. Try to figure out where in your body you are holding onto this anxiety or stress. You may see a dark patch or a blockage, or you may just feel a heaviness in a certain (sometimes random) area. Breathe into that area with acceptance and love, and allow the heaviness to fall away. If you feel a lot of blockages, it might be a good idea to set aside some time for a longer meditation.

• Affirmations – depending on the cause of your anxiety, affirmations can be very beneficial. You may not fully believe what you are saying to start with, but if you say them daily and really try to believe that what you are saying is real (a little visualization helps too!), then they have a huge potential to change your mindset over time - and therefore your life. Repeat each one a few times daily (or more if you like) until they really start to sink in! Here are some examples, but you can tailor them to help you with any issue you are facing:

‘I am safe’

‘I love myself’

‘I have the strength to improve my life’

‘I deserve to be happy’

‘I am fully in the now’

•  Reiki Healing – a wonderful healing modality for stress & anxiety relief, chakra balancing, emotional balance and enhancing inner strength and calm. Reiki works on every level to release energetic blockages, stress and help you find your center again. I offer Distance Reiki Sessions no matter where you live in the world, to learn more about my sessions please click here >

Much love,