You can manage your stress with a little help and encouragement.
Stress is usually a reaction to something that is based on a future event, an unknown. It may be a concern about a reaction from someone else to a situation you are involved in.
This uncertainty results in your internal dialogue saying "what if this, or what if that happens". Maybe these thoughts are concerns such as, what if I can’t handle the demands on my time and energy, what if I lose my job, what it my relationship ends, what if. . .
With this in mind, how real are these thoughts of what if…? And what can you do about them? As we all know, we never know what the future holds for us, therefore these thoughts are not based on a reality. They are simply thoughts, and thoughts can be changed.
First we must learn to stay in the present because the present is our reality. But only for a moment, because with the ticking of each minute our reality changes. For the most part we know what “if” today, but not what is tomorrow. Today I can handle the demands on my time and energy, today I am loved, today my life is okay or excellent, but the reality is we only know our circumstances for this moment and this day.
Setting our intentions for the day is probably the most important action you can take to alleviate stress. You should do this before you get out of bed. This Reiki Prayer has helped me to focus on today only, and I know it will help you:
“For today only, I will not anger. Today only, I will not worry. Today only, I will have compassion. Today only, I will work diligently. And today only, I will have great gratitude for what I have”.
When you go to bed at night, change it to, “For tomorrow only I will not anger, etc.
Saying these affirmations day and night will help your subconscious mind absorb them to reinforce your efforts to stay focused on the next day only. This will also help keep all of the negative thoughts in your mind from taking over. I call these thoughts “graffiti," messy distractions from the beautiful, creative, peaceful mind you have underlying the graffiti.
Other ways to alleviate your stress reactions include:
1. Learn the skills of conscious communication. Learn to communicate your needs, your concerns and your wants effectively through mindful and compassionate communication. Remember it isn’t what is said, but how it is said.
2. Yoga, this is a healing practice that helps to balance your mind, body and soul. It helps you focus and leaves you feeling more relaxed, and able to live a more peaceful life.
3. Meditation, this is one I feel very strongly about. Meditation gives you access to your inner silence, a calm that is within all of us but few take the opportunity to learn this simply process. It is a chance to quiet that constant dialogue going on in your brain giving your brain an opportunity to rest, which in turn allows your body to rest. The benefits are not just for the mind, meditating can lower your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol, and slow down the release of cortisol, the stress hormone.
I want to share all of this and more with you personally. If you are interested in learning to meditate, call or visit Full Circle Yoga in Yorba Linda, or call me at 714-394-1349 for a private coaching consultation.
Namaste’
Marcy Herrmann, Psychology BA
Life Transformation Specialist
Creating Individualized Approaches For Each Client
Life Coaching, Hypnosis, Sound Healing and Energy Healing