7 ways to de-stress anywhere

Life in our fast paced society can cause unhealthy and counterproductive levels of stress. Here are 7 ways to reduce stress, feel better, increase focus and productivity! Many of the suggestions below seem easy and intuitive yet we often forget to harness their power!

#1 BREATHE! Sounds simple enough, we all do this constantly throughout our day. As you read this, notice how far down your breath is traveling with each inhalation. Does it stop in your throat? Does it get to your chest? Do you feel your ribs expand with each inhalation? Can you bring it all the way down into your belly? Your goal for optimal relaxation is to bring your breath all the way down into your belly, allowing it to rise gently like a beach ball inflating slowly. Focus on bringing your breath into your chest allowing your rib cage to expand and your shoulders to fall. Continue drawing your breath down into your belly, like a sleeping baby's belly. At the end of the inhalation, reverse the process as the life giving breath removes tension and holding on the way out. Let your abdomen gently fall, your rib cage gently relax, soften your throat and breathe out as completely as possible. Letting all of the tension and holding go with the exhalation. Remember, you do not need to count your breath or force anything. Allow your focus to just gently readjust your breathing and refocus your energy. With practice, this type of breath work will allow you to keep calm and refocus even when things are blowing up around you.

#2 MOVE! Again, this sounds so easy but can take a focused effort to do. Movement helps circulate your blood, energize your cells, feed your brain oxygen, and release endorphins. Take a short walk, stretch, dance, take the stairs, park farther away and walk, etc. Go outside for a few minutes while moving to multiply the benefits of movement with nature, sunshine, fresh air, and scenery.

#3 USE GUIDED IMAGERY/VISUALIZATIONS! This can be very simple or you can make it as intricate as you choose. Close your eyes, focus on your breath. In your mind's eye, allow an image to come into focus of your happy place. This can be the same picture every time or it may be different. It may be a place or even an activity. It can be static or interactive. For example, a place on your favorite beach or a craft room in your imagination where you can create to relax. The important point is that the image is relaxing, safe, peaceful. Take a minute or longer to notice the details of the image(s). Notice the way it makes you feel using all of your senses. Slowly open your eyes and know you can easily return to the happy place throughout your day or whenever you need to focus, relax, and recharge.

#4 TRY A TOUCHSTONE/MINDFULNESS! Many times our focus in on the future and all the things we need to get done. We forget to focus on what is happening right in the here and now. These techniques can all be used to help you check in with yourself and be present in the moment. Some people carry a stone with special meaning, others focus on a piece of jewelry, others on a picture, etc. You can also bring focus through meditation and mindfulness by focusing on what you are feeling right now in this moment. What are you thinking? What are you senses telling you? What is happening in the environment? This can help bring you back to the present and allow you to more consciously move through life without the anxiety and stress of living in the past or future while missing the present.

#5 PRACTICE PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION! Many of us have heard of this technique. You don't need a special script or set of directions. Simply take a moment to focus on your breath and the present moment. You may wish to close your eyes, put your feet flat on the floor, and uncross your arms and legs. Start at the top of your body and tense all of the muscles of your face and scalp, notice how this feels and then relax these muscles. Notice how they feel when they are relaxed. Move as fast or slow as you wish down your neck, shoulders, arms, chest, abdomen, hips, legs, and feet. Repeat as many times as you wish to gain a relaxed state throughout your body.

#6 USE GRATITUDE & POSITIVITY! Many times in our lives, we get focused on everything that is wrong or that we lack. We see our glasses as half empty rather than half full. Choosing to focus daily on at least two things we are grateful for and concentrating on these at the beginning, middle, and close of the day can help you relax, experience less stress, and feel less anxious. Additionally, focusing on reframing things we experience as negative, wrong, bad, etc. can help us experience greater life satisfaction and less stress. Simply notice when you are moving through your day any negative thoughts, behaviors, feelings, or situations you experience. Take a moment to try to find a positive in the experience, thoughts, situations, or behaviors. Try to find another more positive perspective, no matter how small. If you practice surrounding yourself with positivity, you will find your life satisfaction increases as well as your positive interactions with others. You will experience more joy, happiness, and connection.

#7 USE AFFIRMATIONS! This is connected to positivity. Affirmations are positive words, phases, qualities etc. you remind yourself to claim and manifest daily. Examples may be "I am beautiful." "I am strong." "I deserve to be loved." You can write them down, put them in places you will see them daily like the bathroom mirror or your calendar. Add to them as you wish. The key is for you to personalize these affirmations and remind yourself of them daily or more often. It will help you improve your self esteem and happiness, reduce focus on negative affirmations/qualities, and reduce stress.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, TRY ALL OF THESE METHODS AND PERSONALIZE THOSE THAT WORK FOR YOU!