Managing your Stress

Recently I came across an article from Deepak Chopra that talked about the importance of Meditation and Mindful Awareness. Since his point of view was so in line with what I believe, I wanted to share with you in just a few words the seven important ways with which he recommends handling stress in your life.

1. Meditation

What a powerful way to start and end your day and keep your soul calm and collected.  Meditation is simply some time set aside just for you, in which you can be quiet, slow down your breathing, and get a hold on your day before it even begins.

It has been shown that Meditation decreases our blood pressure and resets our body in a way that it is able to deal with outside stressors in a much healthier way. When our mind is calm our body relaxes as well.

If you are new to Meditation you can start by sitting comfortably for a few minutes and be aware of your breath. Or you can pick a favorite mantra (a positive phrase that you repeat over and over again) and keep your attention on that. Don't worry it gets easier with practice and you will be able to sit for longer periods of time, to where you sometimes lose yourself in time and space. You may also take a mindful walk outside or walk  

a labyrinth.

Throughout the year I hold meditation classes where you can come and become familiar with the practice. Or you can email me and we can arrange a session to focus on just Meditation. 

2. Resolve

If there is a particular situation that brings you stress, is it possible that by addressing it you could come to a resolution?In my sessions, I always remind you about using positive words and thoughts to direct a situation and Non-Violent communication to resolve those ackward moments when we find ourselves in a disagreement with others. It takes practice but the results are rewarding.

3. Mindfull Awareness 

Take time to listen to your body and what it has to say to you. Our body is in constant communication with our brain alerting us to things that it might not happy with. 

Pay attention to signals of distress whether those are emotional or physical. And move forward when you feel good about your decision.

Learn to listen and accept what your body is offering you. For example if you have a big decision to make about lets say accepting a job and there is this gut feeling that is making you sick, chances are this job is not right for you. Take time to examine your offer more closely and see if it can be adjusted in some way that you would feel good about it. Maybe offer to work certain days or hours that are better for your schedule.

Your body will always look out for you, so it is worth paying attention. After all it only wants to make you happy :-)  

Very often when we are caught off guard and find ourselves in stressful situations we become ungrounded. In those moments it is hard to make sound decisions. Have you noticed how animals "shake" things off? Take an example from mother nature: ducks will shake their wings and move along after a confrontation with another duck. They just shake it off and keep going. We need to learn to do the same.

Come see me if you need help learning how to keep yourself grounded and skate more easily through life. 

4. Understanding your mind-body constitution

Deepak talks about the four doshas (mind-body constitution) in Ayurveda and how they govern our lives. 

Every body type has a different internal composition and way of reacting to external stimuli. It is helpful to look into those and understand how you are unique in that way.

Read on for a link at the end of this article to find out more about your doshas. 

5. Sleep

It is essential to give your body and mind time to rest and it is equally important to follow your body's rhythm on when to awake and when to go to sleep. Our body is more efficient performing certain tasks at specific time frames. Typically if we were to follow our circadian rhythm we should go to sleep when the sun sets and awaken when the sun rises. In today's world it is increasingly hard to keep such a schedule but it is at least helpful to go to sleep before 10:00 pm and rise by 6:00 am. This way you feel more refreshed and are ready to face the day. Your body's rhythm slows down between those times and is typically full of energy while the sun is out.

Journalling before you go to bed is also a great way to put your day's thoughts on paper and have a quiet and calm mind so you may sleep better.

6. Yoga

Yoga is such a wonderful and calming practice and we arelucky that here in Northern Colorado we have a sleuth of Yoga studios to choose from. Yoga not only helps the body regain strength and flexibility but it also aligns your energy centers so that you are more balanced.  It quiets the mind and centers us, while releasing stress and anxiety. There are many different types of yoga; you could try different styles and see which one might work for you. If you are new to yoga, it is always better to start with a class and get the basics down. There are plenty of CDs and streaming channels that offer Yoga classes as well.  

7. Joy

Take a moment to partake in activities that bring you joy. Our lives have become so busy that we forget to take time for just us. We are each born with a gift. A gift that we owe it to the world to share with everyone. So take some time to go within and explore that gift. Once you connect with that your life will become fuller and happier. 

And in every day terms find the things that you love to do throughout the day. Maybe you love to run, or take a yoga class, or paint or take photographs, ride your bicycle or read  book. Could you put aside some time each day or several times a week for just that? 

While we may feel that we do not have time for such luxuries, it is taking time for things like that that gives us the energy to live each day in its fullest.

These points are all discussed by Deepak but written in my words. If you would like to read to whole article by Deepak Chopra please visit: Article by Deepak Chopra