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Here are four more tips from Good Housekeeping's Kate Hanley on how to reduce and soothe away your stress.
Walking Meditation:
Some days are like the conveyer belt in the I Love Lucy candy factory episode — relentless. Turn down the speed on your life with walking meditation. For 20 paces, walk as slowly as you can, feeling every inch of your feet as they move, hearing your breath flow through your lungs, and noticing all the smells and sounds around you. This simple practice helps you remember that every step we take is a little miracle.
Treat Your Feet:
Here's something nice for your feet that revitalizes your entire body: Fill one large bowl with hot water, and one with cold. Submerge your feet in the hot water for as long as you can, then switch to the cold. Repeat several times. The process draws circulation down to your feet and gets blood pumping throughout your body. It's faster than a nap and better for you (and cheaper) than a fancy coffee drink.
Bring Out Your Inner Radiance:
According to Ayurveda, the ancient tradition of medicine from India, a facial massage promotes health and brings out your inner radiance. Using your middle fingers, rub these points on your face in a clockwise direction for 20-30 seconds each: middle of the chin, corners of the mouth, middle of the area between your upper lip and nose, outer edges of both nostrils, center of the cheek bones, temples, and the space between the eyebrows.
Follow Your Intuition:
Everyone has a gut instinct, but when our lives are fully scheduled, it doesn’t get the space it needs to rise to the top. Taking a walk with no particular destination in mind can help you get in touch with this inner wisdom. At every corner, ask yourself which way you should go, and follow whatever hunch you get. You might just be delighted with where you end up and what you experience along the way.
Feel Rested Without a Nap:
Welcome summer with some conscious restoration: Find a quiet place to lie on the floor or in the grass with your eyes closed. Breathe slowly and feel your body sink into the ground as you let go of your tension. Concentrate on one part of your body at a time, making sure each muscle is limp and loose. Starting with the top of your head, work your way down through your body silently repeating, "the top of my head is relaxed," "my jaw is relaxed," "my neck is relaxed." Work all the way to your toes. When done, roll to your side and slowly come back up to sitting.
The Ultimate Multitask:
Turn tonight's household chores into meditation in motion. While cleaning up after dinner, feel the sensations in your body as you work, notice how your breath flows in and out, savor the way things feel. When your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to your task. This practice keeps you rooted in the present moment, instead of reliving past events or anticipating the future. The result? A calmer, more attentive you.
Swallow Truth Serum:
Declare your independence from hiding your true feelings by choosing one day this week to pretend that you've swallowed truth serum. The goal isn't to drop bombshells ("I've always hated you in black"), but to be honest in loving way. For example, "I'd love to meet for dinner this weekend, but I am tired and need to rest. Let's pick another time." It's incredibly liberating and is a quick way to reduce your stress levels.
Tree Time:
That quality of air that emanates from trees...wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit. —Robert Louis Stevenson
Spend time this week sitting under a tree. If you can, bring a blanket and settle in. But even if you only have 5 minutes on your next dog walk, do it. Taking a break from the beeps, rings, and honks of modern life to listen to the leaves rustling in the wind is soothing and uplifting (and free).
Bless Their Hearts:
Hot temperatures got your temper flaring? Next time an aggressive driver cuts you off, or a co-worker sends a snippy email, or you trip over your teenager's skateboard, try saying this small phrase: bless their heart. It's a short and simple reminder that the person you're angry with is human and could probably stand a little forgiveness. It also benefits you by deflating your anger and boosting your compassion. Not bad for three little words, huh?
Belly Breathing:
Dreading another week? Counteract that feeling with deep breathing. Lying on the floor, rest your hands on your belly and feel them rise and fall with your breath. Begin breathing first into the belly, then the rib cage, and finally the chest. Exhale in the reverse order — chest, ribs, stomach. Continue for five minutes. You’re flushing stale air and ushering in fresh oxygen — perfect for letting out old stresses and preparing for the week ahead.
Spend Time with Someone Great:
Of all the things you do in a week, how many of them do you actually enjoy? This week, treat yourself to some time with someone you admire whose company makes you feel great. We all need real-life role models; spending time with yours can help you remember what’s most important to you. If you can’t see each other face to face, call them on the phone or write an old-fashioned letter.
Make a Date for Downtime:
Downtime has become a dirty word, but it’s a vital component of a healthy lifestyle. As world famous yoga teacher Donna Farhi writes: By not doing so much, we create natural pauses to reflect. This week, find 10 minutes in your schedule to do nothing — sit outside and feel the breeze on your cheek, or lie on the floor and listen intently to your favorite song. No reading, no TV, no talking on the phone. Just be.
Separating Clouds:
This poetically named move comes from qigong, the Chinese equivalent of yoga. Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart, knees slightly bent, arms crossed at the wrists in front of your pelvis. As you inhale, straighten your legs and sweep your arms above your head. Exhale and open your arms out to your sides and back to the starting position. Repeat 5 times, then reverse the movement (opening out to the sides first) for 5 reps.
Eat Seasonally:
Eating foods that are in season is a great way to get more in tune with nature — a connection that helps lower stress levels and promotes feelings of well being. Browse a farmers' market for perfectly ripe tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers, peppers, and more. Choose as many different-colored foods as you can (since bright colors indicate high nutrient levels) and treat your family and yourself to a meal that feeds the senses as well as the stomach.
Bellows Breath:
This breath clears out your lungs and gets you inspired again (after all, “inspire” means “to fill with breath” in Latin). Sit cross-legged on the floor with your spine tall. Bend your elbows and bring your hands in front of your shoulders in loose fists. As you inhale, straighten your arms above your head and open your palms. Exhale strongly through your nose and bring your hands back to shoulder-height fists. Repeat for 20 breaths.
Practice Saying “No”:
Now that summer’s over, life is going to get busy again before you can say “back to school”. Minimize your impending schedule overload by honing your ability to say no to things you just don’t have time to do. The more you practice now, the easier it will be to say no in a few weeks when work, school, and socializing are all back in full swing and clamoring for you to take on more and more.
Finding a Balance Benchmark:
Keep tabs on your stress levels by setting a balance benchmark — one thing you do regularly that makes you feel great. It could be eating a home-cooked meal a day, reading the paper on Sunday afternoon, or taking a walk with a girlfriend once a week. When life starts interfering with your ability to do your balance benchmark, you’ll know it’s time to reshuffle your priorities so you don’t end up burning yourself out.
Antioxidant Extravaganza:
Stress can suppress your immune system, making you more likely to get sick just when you need to be at your best. Keep your body strong in stressful times by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants — nutrients that bolster the immune system and protect the body against free radicals and the aging process. According to the USDA, the foods that offer the highest amount of antioxidants are beans, berries, artichokes, apples, pecans, cherries, plums, and potatoes.
Study Yourself:
Ask yourself the following questions, preferably on a daily basis, to develop objectivity on how stress is affecting your life: How did I sleep? What is my mood? How did I respond when something unexpected happened? How does my body feel? Did I have any time to myself? Taking stock in this way can help you see your relationship with stress more clearly, which helps you develop a stress-reduction plan that fits your unique needs.
Mindful Meals:
Instead of wolfing down your lunch while standing in the kitchen or sitting at your desk, take 10 minutes to eat mindfully. Smell your food before you begin and chew each bite several times, savoring the taste. Allowing your senses to rise to the surface gives your mind a much-needed break. And what better to focus on than delicious, sustaining food? It’s much more fun than staring at a spreadsheet!
Homemade Ginger Tea:
Ginger — a brown, knobby root that will never win any beauty awards — is a powerful antistress tool hailed by herbalists for its ability to soothe upset stomachs, alleviate headaches, and reduce inflammation. Create a relaxing ritual out of making fresh ginger tea: Peel 1 inch of fresh ginger root and cut it in to thin rounds. Cover with 2-3 cups of water and boil for 10-20 minutes. Sweeten with honey for a deliciously spicy nighttime soother.
That One Thing:
Chances are there’s one particular thing you’ve been avoiding because it’s unpleasant, tedious, or just plain old boring. Whether it’s calling a friend you’ve lost touch with, making a dentist’s appointment for a tooth that’s been bothering you, or taking that box in the garage to Goodwill, do “that one thing” this week. By taking care of it, you’ll be able to stop spending your energy on dreading it and start focusing on more important things.
Honey Mask:
Prepare your skin for winter and build a little relaxation time into your day by giving yourself a DIY moisturizing mask. The secret ingredient? Honey. The golden sweet stuff has natural antibiotic properties and leaves skin noticeably softer and moister. Apply about a tablespoon (avoiding the eye area) and rest for 10 minutes as it dries, then rinse with warm water. (Honey can also help blisters heal – use it as you would antibiotic ointment.)
Mantra Meditation:
To Western ears, “mantra” is synonymous with “catchphrase” or “mission statement.” But mantra is a tool that’s been used for thousands of years to help cultivate peace of mind — something we could all use a little more of. This week, choose a word or phrase that is meaningful and melodious — such as “love,” “peace,” or “amen” (or whatever resonates with you) — and repeat it silently or audibly whenever you need a gentle reminder to savor the moment.
Detox with a Twist:
Help your body recover from the eating extravaganza with a simple twist that encourages elimination. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and arms straight along the floor at shoulder level. Pick your feet up and drop your legs to the floor on your left. Look at your right hand, or, if this isn’t comfortable on your neck, at the ceiling. Take 5 deep breaths, then switch sides.
Chamomile Tea Bag Soak:
Treat your tired eyes to a treatment that’s as relaxing as it is beautifying. Soak two chamomile tea bags in lightly warmed milk until soft. Place the tea bags over your closed eyes and rest in a quiet, comfortable spot for 10 minutes. The milk replenishes moisture in the delicate skin, and the scent of chamomile is soothing to frayed nerves. After 10 minutes, gently rinse with warm water and apply your favorite eye cream.
Do Less:
World-class travelers offer great advice: once you've finished packing, remove three things. You likely won't miss them, your remaining clothes will be less wrinkled, and you'll have room for souvenirs. This week, look at your to-do list cross three things off. Whether you move them to next week or decide they're not necessary, this exercise helps you keep enough time to accommodate the unexpected or spend an afternoon doing whatever you darn well please.
Make Resolutions You Can Keep:
This year, forget about resolving to do something you “should” do — whether it’s losing weight, quitting smoking, or finding a new job — and instead make a commitment to do more of something you want to do. What’s perking up your ears every time you hear it mentioned? What do you daydream about doing? The sooner you start heeding this internal call, the sooner you’ll be immersed in pursuing something that makes you feel gratified and inspired.
Demi De-Clutter:
Getting completely organized can be an elusive — and overwhelming — goal. Instead, choose one small space that needs attention — the junk drawer in the kitchen, the stack of mail on the dining room table, or even the glove box of your car — and de-clutter it. Throw out or recycle anything you don't need, take care of anything that needs attention, and give the area a quick wipe-down. Ahhh. That’s better. Now you’ve created a little space for something new to grow.
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