Three Tips for Bliss (Stress Awareness Month)
Did you know that April is stress awareness month?
Stress is present no matter what time of year, but I think that having a stress awareness month around the time of Spring (a time of rebirth) makes a lot of sense. It is this time of year that we can create new habits as we clear out the old and bring in the new.
I’d like to suggest three powerful tips for “bliss” during this time when we can really work on managing and lowering our stress levels. It was hard to pick just three, but I’m going to go with:
1. Nucalm (a brain-body technology, spelled that way on purpose)
2. A grounding exercise
3. A Breathing exercise
Tip #1: Nucalm (a brain-body technology, spelled that way on purpose).
I offer this technology as part of my client sessions in my practice, Sun Valley Performance Expansion. I was thrilled to see it featured on the Today Show just last week. I highly recommend viewing the Today Show segment, and note that the discussion of NuCalm starts at about minute two. For my readers that are local to the Sun Valley, Idaho area, I can offer you a free NuCalm session when you come in for Brainspotting. Here is more information as well as a scheduling link: www.makeeverythingfun.com/brainspotting
Tip #2: A grounding exercise.
The following exercise aims to get you out of your head-space and into your body. The headspace is the realm of the monkey mind, the chattering to-do lists, preoccupations of the past, and worries for the future. This exercise involves two simple steps:
- Imagine that you have a grounding cord that begins at the base of your spine, or your feet, and extends all the way to the center of the earth.
- Keep that image of the connection to the Earth in your mind while you start to gain a deeper awareness of your physical body. Feel your body at a deep and visceral level.
With this simple exercise, you might find that your chattering monkey mind quiets a bit. That’s great progress! You might want to go a little further and ask that anything you don’t need, like nervous or negative energy, simply goes down the cord into the core of the planet, where it is transformed into something positive. Feel the sense of connection to the Earth and all the living creatures that inhabit it.
When you feel like you are working from a strong foundation, you are likely to make better choices in every aspect of life. You are also more likely to listen and take steps to provide your body with good maintenance to improve your health.
Mini Mantra: Ground through body and mind. Strength and growth you will find.
Note: This exercise is from my book, Mountain Mantras: Wellness and Life Lessons from the Slopes.
You can get a PDF of the book’s appendix with ALL of the yoga and mindfulness tips HERE.
For an additional bonus, You can download Mantra #2: Get Some Good Boots On (How to build a FOUNDATION for success in health and life here).
Tip #3: A Breathing exercise.
I am a huge fan of Dr. Andrew Weil, and I find his 4-7-8 breathing exercise to be so simple yet so effective in creating bliss in my day. This link provides you with access to a video with, and explanation by, Dr. Weil himself.
Have a blissful Spring!
This post originally appeared on www.makeverythingfun.com: https://makeeverythingfun.com/three-tips-for-bliss-stress-awareness-month/