This positive message offers ways to reduce stress. We all experience stress and if not controlled if can have a negative impact on our health. We hope this short message inspires you to reduce your stress.
We are not talking about chilling wine. We are really talking about you chilling to reduce your stress - or, as young people are heard to say, "chill out".
But, this expression really doesn't give you the reduced stress we are talking about. Instead, this expression is more about an expressed outward attitude towards an event. Not that there is anything wrong with this but it doesn't go far enough.
Block Off Time
What we really want to do is schedule a time just for you when you can do anything you want. Enjoy that walk in the park, that hike in the woods, making a special project, or simply reading a good book.
The secret here is that you need to begin by blocking off a segment of time just for you. This means just you, not your spouse, your children, or your friends - just you.
If you are having trouble thinking about this block of time, sit down and make a list of different things, events, or lone projects that you would really enjoy. Don't let anything else interfere with this block of time.
Initially, you may have some previously scheduled usual events or commitments in the way. If this is the case, block as little as two hours just for yourself. This block of time, initially, can be a once a week event - that's okay because in our busy lives even blocking two hours can be a challenge.
The Reason
The object of this blocked time is to give you a chance to enjoy whatever it is you've decided to do. This is a time to let go of daily pressure, or what's nagging you. Part of the secret to maximizing this time is to concentrate on whatever it is you enjoy in order to eliminate intrusion of tasks you think you have to do, or other commitments you think you must attend to.
Relax, enjoy, and savor the two hours you have.
Make mental pictures of yourself during this time that vividly depict a special moment, a moment in time that captures the meaning of enjoying yourself. All of these mental pictures will help you return to that moment of peace, or enjoyment when you find yourself facing a stressful event.
Move on to increase these moments by blocking either more two block periods, or one block of a half day a week. Remember, this is your time to relish in what you want, not what somebody else wants.
If you find that your spouse, or partner starts to object, make arrangements so that they can enjoy what they want in their own scheduled block of time.
Share With Others
You can also explain the joy, relaxation, or peacefulness to your partner, or to a friend. Often through verbal expression, the moment takes on an even greater significance.
Don't stop. Keep going. Keep scheduling on your calendar these blocks of time and don't let other circumstances interfere - it's far too easy to let other events, situations, or commitments gain recognition.
If you want to keep enjoying these times, enjoying these stress free blocks, persevere.
You may also be inspired by these thoughts by other people on ways to reduce stress:
We need downtime to recover. When we work for hours on end, even when we’re on a roll, performance can dwindle. Allison Graham
Remember that stress doesn’t come from what’s going on in your life. It comes from your thoughts about what’s going on in your life. Andrew J. Bernstein
Reconnect to what makes you happy and brings you Joy. If there is something that used to make you happy which you have stopped doing, do it again. Seek to find deeper meaning and significance rather than living on the surface. Susan C. Young
A good way to overcome stress is to help others out of theirs. Dada J. P. Vaswani
Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy, and rewarding life. Marilu Henner
Studies have shown that those who take the time to smell the roses and view nature are able to lower their blood pressure and reduce their stress. Salma Stockdale
When we commit to action, to actually doing something rather than feeling trapped by events, the stress in our life becomes manageable. Greg Anderson
Learn to say no to demands, requests, invitations, and activities that leave you with no time for yourself. Until I learned to say no, and mean it, I was always overloaded by stress. You may feel guilty and selfish at first for guarding your down- time, but you’ll soon find that you are a much nicer, more present, more productive person in each instance you do choose to say yes. Holly Mosier
Regular exercise can really help you to reduce your stress levels, anxiety and depression. When you exercise your brain releases endorphins. Heather Rose
When stress feels overwhelming, it's important to find support and to take care of yourself while getting your stress level back to a manageable level. Jessica Speer
