As a healer and yoga teacher, it may seem like I have it all together when it comes to taking care of myself and living a peaceful, stress-free life. That is far from the truth.
I do know a thing or two about self-care and stress relief, but I can still get as frazzled and stressed out as anyone else. Just like most people, I have to juggle work, a personal life and a million other tasks—and let’s face it, the pace of life in Los Angeles can get pretty hectic.
Even with the best of intentions, we often end up “burning the candle at both ends,” so it is essential that we find ways to give ourselves a break and nurture ourselves.
Below are 10 ways to effectively alleviate stress and find more peace when life gets a little crazy, in the hopes that you may find some helpful tips to adopt into your daily routine.
Meditation
I always start the day with meditation, but it can be done any time of day, whenever you feel you need it. To me, meditation is like a calm, blue ocean for the mind. Just spending a few minutes in silence, or with some uplifting mantras, can do wonders to restore a frazzled mind, shifting your thoughts to a more positive outlook, and feel more calm and centered.
Daily Self-Massage (Abhyanga)
Something else that I do every morning, is abhyanga, or self-massage. This is an ayurvedic self-care ritual where you use some type of oil, usually one that is prepared specifically for your constitution (dosha) and slowly massage with love all over your body for 15-20 minutes. I love the fact that the word for oil in Sanskrit, sneha, can be translated to both “oil” and “love,” so you really are literally giving yourself some love when doing this practice.
Deep Breathing
I can’t think of anything as simple, yet so powerful, as deep breathing. If you stop and take a few long, deep breaths whenever you feel stressed out or anxious, you instantly bring a sense of calm to your mind and body. Long, deep breathing can help lower your heart rate, release tension and bring more clarity to your thoughts. As a result you feel more centered and relaxed, and more at peace.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be practiced in many different ways, and it is really about being more present in the moment with whatever task you are doing. I like to practice it from time to time when enjoying a meal. Instead of doing several other things, such as checking your cell phone or watching television, turn your devices off or put them aside for a moment, and put all your attention on your food and the process of eating it. Pay attention to the flavor and texture of your food, how the food looks and smells. As you put the food in your mouth, slowly and thoroughly chew the food before you swallow it. This practice can be surprisingly calming, helping you to relax and feel more peaceful.
Go for a Walk
If you work in an office and sit in front of a computer for a considerable length of time, it can be nice to give yourself a break and get out of the office even for a short period of time. Concentrating on a computer screen, or any screen for a long time can cause eye strain and result in tired and dry eyes. Your brain can probably use a break too, and getting away from your desk and doing a different activity for a bit can help restore you. Going for a walk after you have been sitting down for a long time can also be nice to relieve tension and shift your focus for a moment.
Spend Time in Nature
To me there is nothing more healing than spending time in nature. Unless you have a park nearby where you work or live, this one may require a little more planning, but it is well worth it. Walking barefoot on the grass can be grounding and relaxing, and going for a walk in the woods can be very restorative, helping you to feel more connected to nature and mother earth. It will bring more peace and tranquility into your day.
Journaling
Writing in a journal can be helpful when you need to make sense of things, or just for emotional release. It can be done in the morning as you get out of bed, at night before tucking in, or any other time of day when you feel called to do it. You can write about whatever you like, or even do stream-of-consciousness writing where you write whatever comes to mind. However and whenever you choose to do it, it can bring a sense of clarity and peace, and help you make sense of what is going on in your life.
Quality Sleep
Good quality sleep is not always easy to come by, but makes a big difference in how we feel. Make sure you get between six and eight hours a night. The teachings of Ayurveda also recommend that you go to sleep before 10 p.m. at night for more peaceful sleep and to feel more rested the next day. Lack of sleep can make you feel cranky and tired, and definitely has an impact on your stress levels and the level of peace you feel in your day.
Positive Affirmations
Negative mind chatter is something we all experience from time to time, but a good way to counteract it is to repeat positive affirmations to yourself. Write down a few of your favorite positive affirmations on post-it notes and put them up in areas where you can easily see them, such as at your work desk, your refrigerator, your bathroom mirror, in your car, and other places where you may spend a lot of time. Positive affirmations are best said out loud so you can hear them, and are positive statement in present tense, such as “I have vibrant health, body, mind and spirit.”
Express Gratitude
Just as positive affirmations create a sense of well-being and peace of mind, paying attention to what you are grateful for in your life will do the same. When you focus your mind on what you have, instead of what you don’t have, it instantly uplifts you and gives you a feeling of peace and happiness, knowing that you really are not as bad off as it may seem.
I hope these tips will give you ideas of how to consciously incorporate more peace and well-being into your life. They continue to help me and give me more peace and positivity on a daily basis. I may not practice them all every day, but whenever I do one or more, they always make me feel better, and help relieve any stress and negativity.
Experience more peace in your daily life, and try some of these today!
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