Holidays can be an especially stressful time of year. This makes it a fantastic time to revisit ways we have of dealing with stress. Learning some new relaxation exercises is always welcome.
As always, remember that different suggestions appeal to different people. If you don’t like a suggestion, or if it doesn’t seem to work for you, don’t stress over it! Pass over it and move one to trying another new relaxation method. The important part is to learn what works for you so that you can find your best ways of coping with stress.
1. Focus on past experience. A sunny day at the beach. A cool fall day in New England. Your wedding day. Whatever memory makes you happy and puts you at ease, go back there for just a moment. Imagine yourself soaking up that sense of relaxation and ease, and apply that empowerment to the present situation.
2. Make a fist. No, not to take a swing at someone! In this technique, you let the emotion wash over you before capturing it in your hand, figuratively speaking. Make a fist with your right hand, tighten it, then release, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Then vigorously shake those feelings right out of your system.
3. Just breathe. Deep breathing is the key to true relaxation. Here’s how it’s done: Put your right hand on your abdomen and your left hand on your chest, then breathe deeply so that your abdomen rises slightly under your right hand. Take up to 5 deep breaths this way to calm yourself.
4. Tickle your funny bone. Stressors usually aren’t funny, but sometimes being able to laugh can defuse a situation. Select three to five memories that make you laugh, and store them away in your mind. Then when something is upsetting you, go to your funny bankand chuckle to yourself.
5. Make like a monk. Chanting may seem like a strange way to relax, but experts swear by it. The chant can be a religious phrase or just a few words, such as “I am a good person,” “All will be well” or “I will be well.”
6. Walk away. The easiest way to calm down and gather yourself in the face of a stressor is to take a break from it, if only briefly. Get up from whatever you’re doing and walk away. Take deep breaths, shake out your shoulders, stretch your arms and legs, and perhaps go get a cup of tea or coffee — preferably decaf.
7. Grin to bear it. Have you ever seen a football or basketball coach crack a smile at one of the tensest moments of a game? Maybe he or she has heard this advice about how to handle a pressure-packed situation. Close your eyes and allow yourself to gently smile. Your brain will respond by recognizing that you usually smile when you’re feeling relaxed and happy. Even if there’s nothing to smile about at a given moment, taking a few seconds to consciously smile will send positive signals to your brain.
Taken from ‘Outsmart stress: 7 relaxation techniques’
Gather your relaxation tools now, and then sit back and enjoy your holiday season. With these relaxation exercises for dealing with stress, you are sure to have a wonderful time.
