Stress is part of our society. We are a society of convenience, but with convenience comes more time. More time leads to more activities which lead to more stress! In honor of stress awareness month, here are some helpful tips for relieving stress.
Take an Appreciation Break
Look at something, think about something or remember something that you really appreciate or are grateful for. Let yourself feel how much you appreciate it. Feel it at the heart level if you can. Stay with it for 15 or 20 seconds. Do it any time and often, but especially when you are experiencing stress. When I discovered the appreciation break a few years ago, a beautiful public flower bed near our home was in full bloom. Any time I was stressed or felt under pressure, I would just let my mind go to that flower bed. Within seconds my body would relax and a smile would return to my face. It was during a rough time so I did it multiple times a day. The thought or memory could also be of a person, a pet, a song or a saint. The content doesn't matter, just as long as it's something you really appreciate. (I have been appreciating the sun last few days because we are just emerging from months of cloud and rain.) As you practice this little exercise over time, it takes less and less time to slip into a state of appreciation, so that eventually you can get there almost instantly. -- Dr. Neill Neill alcoholism expert
Say No without Guilt
A universal stress-inducer for solo entrepreneurs is having too many projects, all the time. Entrepreneurs are great at finding opportunities, but not so good at deciding which ones to pursue -- so we pursue them all! You've got to be able to say 'no', and not feel guilty about it. Think about it this way...if you say 'yes' to all the opportunities, you'll never be able to give any of them your full attention. It's like saying 'sorta', instead of 'yes'! Saying 'no' to the opportunities that just aren't the best fit, or the right time, means you are reaffirming a resounding 'YES' for the projects that are the most important to you. This allows you to be more focused, accomplish more, and most importantly, have less stress in your life.
- Terri Zwierzynski self employment expert Saying "No" Gracefully to Customers and Colleagues
Take a Presence Walk
Go for a walk of at least 20 minutes. Walk where there are trees if you can. Trees are good because they are big and they are alive. If there are no trees were you live, try to walk where there are other live objects, the bigger the better. Large cacti will work, for example. But use whatever you can. As you walk let your eyes focus on an individual tree as you approach it. Take in its size, its shape, its color, its texture, and any sounds or smells that come from it. Do not name it; just observe it. When you have it-- it should take three or four seconds -- let your eyes move to another tree and do the same thing, and then do it again, and again. Always pick a tree far enough ahead that you never have to break your pace to finish taking it in. If you continue this for 20 minutes, you will be fully present. The more often you practice the presence walk the more ease you will have in getting into a present time. And besides, you get all the benefits of good walk. Getting present is the key to good stress management. It is important in avoiding the buildup of chronic stress. The presence walk is a basic mental health tool, so use it often.
- Dr. Neill Neill alcoholism expert
Managing stress is a very important key to dealing with the society we live in. There's stress at work, stress at home and stress at school. However, using some of the suggestions above can help relieve that stress. So, I'm going to practice what has been taught and go for a walk. I invite you to do the same!
Keywords: stress awareness, stress awareness month, stress management, entrepreneurs, managing stress, stress at work, relieving stress
ReadyToPublish.com
Stress Awareness Month--Tips for Relieving Stress