What happens when we have concerns or negative thoughts that frustrate, upset or stress us out?
There can be a tendency for the stress of the day to stick around and build up. If we don’t allow ourselves the chance to destress and reduce the anxiety it brings, our mind will continue to actively run through our issues and they will stick with us, hindering our sleep and carry over into the next day to become compounded with today’s concerns.
The thing is once negative thoughts are past. They are in the past and become thoughts from negative thoughts yesterday. But they now become past thoughts that won’t go away. If you are holding on to those thoughts, there is a part of your brain that believes it is something you wish to do and so helps you focus on it regardless of whether it is a bad thought or a good thought. So it will help you do that. Yesterday’s issues or concerns become remembered negative thoughts that we bring into the present to become today’s even more troubling negative and debilitating thoughts. Unless we can learn to let go and calm our nervous system down it will trigger a stress response that is un helpful and unhealthy for us.
An accumulation will almost always end up in a high stress level. so, we must be able to “let go” of concerns from the previous day or days and concentrate wholly on our today. We can always go back to those concerns at another more helpful time.
Here are 3 stress busting tips that will help you:
Tip 1
Right now, I invite you to sit and think for a moment of those thoughts that are troubling you from yesterday.
Give yourself permission to release every thought from yesterday and be only mindful of being in the ‘Now’, this present time and have one thought, right now… this thought is… your breath, I want you to think only of your breathing in this moment.
Sit quietly and take in three very deep breaths in through your nose that goes deeply into your abdomen and slowly release each one out through your mouth.
At the same time feel each and every concern, each and every problem, and each and every unresolved moment you have thought about, begin to dissolve.
Close your eyes and picture those problems, concerns and feelings in your mind’s eye, break apart and dissolve in front of you. Keep breathing deeply and as they break apart, picture that all the small pieces are moving further and further away and becoming smaller and smaller pieces and harder and harder to see, until you cannot see them anymore. You cannot hear anything but your breath, now. For now, you are only to be in this very moment with your breath.
Now sitting quietly, go to your inner quiet place. A place inside yourself, deep inside, where you feel that you are at peace, and you have comfort and space and then just relax and breathe in deeply and enjoy the feeling of being at one and at peace within yourself.
Use this special time and place to be calm. Free your mind and body of all the worry, any regret, disappointment, anger or grief.
Tip 2
Next, think of one particular activity that resonates for you something that brings you calm, peace and happiness, such as holding your baby, taking a walk, being in your garden listening to nature, sitting with your family pet, and now do that one simple thing. All the while, your mind is quiet and calm, and you are in your own special place within.
Practice this act of quiet and calm each day and you will see that you will accomplish so much more. At the first sign of being stressed, go back to this mindful, quiet place and start all over again until you have reached your inner place of calm.
Tip 3
The very best thing that you can do for yourself is to be healthy, and happy. That means eating in a positive way. In moderation and balance, for refreshment, sustenance, and pleasure. Limit the amount of salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol in your diet
Drink water to hydrate your body. Your body and your brain must be hydrated for life, energy and cognitive function. Water is critical to life!. Drink plenty of clean, pure water each day and do a little moderate exercise each day. This will breathe new life into your skin, hair and will nourish all of your vital organs.
Rest and rejuvenate. Make sure you get enough rest. Your body will remain in a stressful state without sufficient rest to recharge.
Stress is easily brought on by not eating and drinking properly. When you don’t get the number of hours of sleep that you need each night, you are only setting yourself up for additional stress and a stressful day.
Laughter is also so important. The body responds to laughter and happiness by releasing positive chemicals and endorphins into the blood that give a natural high. Even if you don’t always feel happy if you can laugh a little each day and create that feeling, it will trigger positive chemicals within you to bring up your mood.
Take time to breathe properly! Take deep belly breathes to send pure oxygen to all of your body. Laugh and then laugh some more. It is food for the soul!
Spend time doing the things that you find most pleasure doing.
Engage in healthy and fulfilling relationships and work on problems that would erode the closeness that you have with the special and important people in your life.
When we are content and living balanced life everyday stresses seem to pale in comparison. We are better equipped to deal with the unexpected and unsettling.
You can take personal control today even by isolating just one particular stressor in your life and then work on reducing it until you regain control.
I hope these 3 tips will help you today and every day.
Be Well 2 Do Well
Caroline
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