I hope you're having a great start to 2016. It's a great day to be alive...I hope you all feel the same way. Enjoy it....I'm going to talk about how you can lower stress in your life. You don't have to change anything on the outside - just make a little change on the inside.
Stress in your life can be a killer. It's hard on the body and the mind....mentally, emotionally, physically - it's damaging in every aspect of our lives. We live in a busy time. Many of us have demanding jobs and hecktic lives. It's hard not to be stressed out, right? Surely there are ways of dealing with and reducing stress, right?
There are several things I do to reduce stress in my life. I try to eat good food, get enough rest, regular massage, exercise, prayer, have an attitude of gratitude and feed my spirit. One other thing that I find very helpful is being present; being in the present moment...or just being.
Being present is simply being in the moment. That's pretty simple...OK, my work here is done, right? Ha...well maybe not so fast. I don't know about you, but for me, my mind can drift off into past situations, memories, etc... Or, conversely, I can get going about the future. How am I going to, "make that happen," or plan out something in my mind, working out all the details, how it'll go, what I'll say, etc.
Why do I want to be present and in the moment? Too often thoughts of the past run over regrets and scenarios of what we should have said or done differently. And we can go thru them over and over again. Whether you're going over very deep seeded stuff or maybe something pretty innocuous, it's all the same and has the same result: we cannot change it. Period. It's the same with anticipating the future. As much as we plot and plan, does it ever really work out to our exact specifications or expectations? Running these tapes over in our minds is distracting and adds stress in our mind and also in the tissues in our bodies.
Now - try this. Take a nice slow deep breath and exhale...while doing this, bring your mind and awareness to the present moment. Be right here and right now, in this moment, without judgement or expectation. As you breathe, pay attention to the air going in and then going out. How good does it feel to be right here (releasing the past and staying out anticipating the future). How does that feel? Perhaps your shoulders soften a bit, and you may find your forehead relaxing. Now see how long you can stay right here, right now. It's not long before your mind starts to drift off into thoughts of something else, right? That's ok...just gently come back to the breath and present. Now do this for the next few minutes as your body and mind relax in the present moment...no worries, no fear....
This is referred to as Mindfulness practice. It's a meditation of sorts. You can do it with your eyes closed, sitting or lying down. You can do this while doing chores around the house or walking the dog. It takes practice, (which is why it's called a mindfulness practice). It's not always easy. A lot of people have so much going on in their heads that they have a very difficult time being in the present. Many get frustrated and give up, especailly if they try it on their own. I would invite you to try this for 5 minutes at a time at first. Also - be kind to yourself. Don't get frustrated or down, and don't beat yourself up if it's difficult for you.
As you spend more and more time in the present, you'll find you probably feel a lot less weighed down by so many concerns - most of which we have absolutely no control over. On a physical level it can help you to relax and reduce your blood pressure, release muscle tension, and even help reduce pain that you may have in your body. I even saw a scientific study recently that noted some amazing physiological changes in the brain from mindfulness and meditation, (which doesn't surprise me at all).
So this winter, take care of yourself in all the ways you should (diet, exercise, massage, etc...), and stay in the present. Don't long for Summer or even the weekend...enjoy this one moment and whatever you're doing. Whether you're working, driving in traffic, chilling on the beach or whatever - stay right here, right now and enjoy. You'll feel much better - in many ways.
I do have to make a note here, just so no one misunderstands. I'm not saying, never make plans, or never enjoy remeniscing with an old friend. Of course we'll do that. Also - will we perfect this ability to be present? I haven't. But, today I can enjoy the moment and whatever activity I'm participating in, a little more than I did in the past. I also enjoy less stress in my life today.
If you feel like you need some help or support with meditation, let me know. I have a mindfulness class - I can work with you in a group or one on one. There's also a lot of materials on-line and books on meditation and mindfulness. If you ever feel stressed out...give it a try. I hope this helps...have a great day.
Peace,
Tom
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