Feeling Stressed?

Feeling Stressed – Slow Down

After a day’s hectic schedule of attending Zoom meetings, deadlines, and so on, no doubt you’ll need some form of relaxation.

Now, there are many ways to relax, including reading a good book, watching television, yes, exercising, but the one method I find most effective is meditation.

So, how does one meditate?

It’s not as hard as you think.

Meditation revolves around focusing your thoughts on one thing over a sustained period. This way, your mind can rest, and your thoughts about stressful things are diverted elsewhere. Your body has the opportunity to slow down and relax; some even feel that toxins that build up in your system are cleared away. Not being a doctor or scientist, I’m not sure about that.

Focus

You may notice that while you’re meditating, your breathing slows, your blood pressure is reduced, your muscles relax, anxiety and irritability are reduced, and stressful thoughts are eliminated. You may also find, as you concentrate and focus on one thing – I focus on my breath – I’m able to think more clearly, and my stress is lessened.

Focusing on just a single thing, as in something as simple as your breath, is the true essence of such meditation. This is an active process, unlike that of hypnosis. All your mental faculties should be concentrated on your breath. I try to meditate for about 20 minutes, in a comfortable position. Depending on the time of day and where I am, I may lie on my bed, sit on my couch, or comfortably sit cross-legged on a cushion on the floor. I use a meditation cushion to help keep my back straight and my legs from hurting.

You can focus on something other than your breath when you’re meditating, like breathing, maybe an object nearby, a sound, or even imagery. Whatever you choose, it is very important to remain focused. If you experience any distractions and external thoughts, acknowledge them, let them go for now, and return to what you’re focusing on. This is okay, it’s normal, it means you’re meditating. You’ll always find your thoughts wandering, but as you continue practicing meditation, you will be able to “manage” them. I mentally tell my thoughts, “I know you’re there. That’s OK. I’ll come back to you in an hour.”  What happens is that when I go back to them in an hour, half of them are gone! This tells me that, after all, those thoughts were NOT important! Works every time for me. Give it a try.

Also, you try these relaxation exercises, then slowly incorporate them into your meditation so that you can be fully relaxed.

Tense Relax – start by clenching your fists, and then pull your forearms firmly against your upper arm. Keep your muscles tensed, as well as those of your leg muscles. Now, your jaws must also be clenched and your eyes shut tightly. While holding those tensions, breathe deeply and then hold for about 5 seconds. Then let go of everything at once. Feel the sensations while your tensions are being released.

Heaviness/ Warmth – this is done by imagining your legs and feet getting heavier and warmer by the second. Imagine that it’s like wearing lead boots. After that, try to imagine that your central body portion is also getting warm… warmer, and relaxed.  Tell yourself that your forehead is getting cooler and relaxed. Breathe easily and regularly. Just feel all the heaviness and warmth spread over your entire body.

Ideal Relaxation – close your eyes and try to create an ideal relaxation spot inside your mind. Choose any place, whether it’s imagined or real, and furnish the place according to your preference and style. Wear comfortable clothes and imagine that you’re going to that place. Feel mellow and at ease in your imagined and ideal relaxation place. Enjoy that special moment for about a minute.

If you’d like to know more about the cotton cushion I use, you can learn more about it here.

“Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” — Kahlil Gibran

Meditation is a habit that may come easily to some. I have been meditating for many years, but there were many days I found myself slipping, especially when I was stressed out. I learned to understand better and manage my stress after I read “7 Days of Self Care Free” Private Label Rights (PLR) content from Susanne Myers and Tracy Roberts. You, too, can get it at no cost here.

If you’re interested in revitalizing your life through meditation and would like to learn a virtually risk-free and cost-effective practice that people of all ages can do with patience and guidance that will serve you for the rest of your life, I would love to connect with you. You can connect with me here.

I’m Donna SLam, who loves to blog about how meditation brings self-compassion, peace of mind, and clarity to my life and others by sharing tips and strategies to live a fulfilling and purposeful life. I enjoy championing others to lead a healthy and happy life through meditation, walking, self-development, and spending time with loved ones.