7 Ways to Stress Less and Relax More…

Is stress, worry or anxiety getting you down? Do you frequently feel like there's too much to do but not enough hours in the day to get it done?

If you said yes to one or both of the questions above, please know that you are certainly not alone. It is often said that stress is one of the biggest challenges in most people's lives today. Many health problems are due to having too much stress in our lives.

So, if this is a problem for you, here are 7 of my favorite ways to release stress, so that you can relax more and feel better...

1. Focus on your breathing.

Sit down and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and out of your nostrils. If you follow your breath with your attention, you can slow your thoughts and mind down. Breathing deeply brings more oxygen into your cells, flushing your brain and body with instant energy. Think of this as a simple, yet very powerful and effective form of meditation.

2. Stretch your body.

Stretch your body slowly with gentleness, kindness and love. With each stretching movement you make, celebrate your body: Notice your wrists, your arms, your neck, your spine, your legs, your ankles and your knees. Bring attention to your neck by dropping your left ear towards your left shoulder, then releasing your right ear towards your right shoulder until you find space opening up in your neck and upper shoulder area. Repeat the stretch a few times then drop your chin down to your chest.

3. Try self-massage and gentle touch.

When you're mentally and emotionally stressed, that stress is also being held in your physical body. It can be helpful to release this tightness using self-massage. Begin by gently massaging your body with your fingertips and hands. Typically the body parts most affected by stress are the back, shoulders, legs, arms, face, eyes and jaw. Start massaging these parts of your body to help you identify where stress lives in your body.

4. Try smiling for no reason.

Start with a tiny smile, then let your smile spread widely across your face. Smile the biggest smile you can! Notice how your body responds. Feel your eyes smiling and all the muscles in your face smiling. Breathe this big happy smile all the way into your center. Close your eyes and drink in this new state: the relaxed, happy and peaceful feeling. Feel yourself feeling happy, grounded and centered.

5. Feel inspired.

An easy way to inspire yourself is to surround yourself with positive support, inspiration and motivation. Watch an inspiring video, read an uplifting story or listen to a motivating meditation or audio book. Another idea is to reconnect with a positive person who inspires you. Notice that it's very hard (if not impossible!) to feel stressed and inspired both at the same time. So, keep yourself tuned in to your inspirational stories, videos and meditations until the stress releases.

6. Laugh loudly.

When you laugh out loud, good vibes are able to move through your body, flushing away old energy blocks, along with feelings of stress and frustrations. Your inner child likes nothing more than having fun, so this is a perfect excuse to watch that comedy you've been wanting to see or get together with a good friend who makes you laugh. With each time that you laugh, just imagine laughing at your stress and sending it far, far away. Let the healing vibrations of your laughter move fluidly through your body, transforming stress into pure joy, positivity and optimism.

7. Do something creative.

And, if you’ve tried all of these ideas and are still looking for more inspiration to feel better, there's nothing like getting stuck into a creative project. Do something that brings you peace, happiness and joy. There are many options. You can experiment until you find the right one for you. Try painting, drawing, coloring, cooking or writing.

It's possible to stress less and relax more.

Stress really can be an energy thief, one that robs you of your precious life force, but you don’t have to let it be so.

Connecting with your inner wisdom and strength will help you to naturally transform your stress into new energy, courage and confidence so that you can feel more relaxed today!

I'm curious! Which idea resonated most with you? Leave a comment below and let me know...

Click here to learn more about the Healing Mediations for Weight Loss Program >>>

With so much Love,
From my heart to yours,

Katrina Love Senn xo

PS. To learn more about 'Healing Meditations for Weight Loss' click here >>