“Keep Calm and Carry On”
I have seen these postings all over Pinterest these days. I think it is a loaded statement assuming that one can “calm down”. Easier said than done huh? Well it takes some practice. There is one general thing that get in the way of this, well its LIFE! Everyday we experience stress and sometimes we do not even realize. With kids running around the house, the news in our face, and the everyday hustle and bustle with little free time, well, its easy to forget about the self care we need to “calm down”.

Generally speaking, most persons may find it hard to relax. But it is important! You might not always have the money or the time to bring calmness into your life.  Its time to start. Well to start, what is calming to you? Is it music, peace and quiet, a massage, a movie, hot bath, really take some time to think about what is calming.  A lot of time throughout the day we feel our body getting tense, our teeth clenching, fists balled up…..really, you say, “No”? Think again! You do it more often than you think but then how do you know when you are stressed? Well, if you are not sure, ask others around you? Start getting to know yourself by others observations.

Awareness is important of knowing when you are stressed and may need some time to calm
Tips:

  • Try new things: yoga, you tube relaxation videos, music, a new coffee flavor, new scent, a new routine or really any routine. Something small you enjoy, it doesn’t need to be expensive or take a lot of time. Just something to slow you down for a few mins.
  • Use your senses: Often we aren’t taking time to “smell the roses”. Next time you are cooking take a moment to be mindful of your experience in the kitchen, what are you smelling, do you enjoy it, or does it taste better than it smells, when you are in the shower, SMELL your shampoo, soap, etc. 
  • Breath: Yes we do it all day, but it is different when you focus on breathing. There is a reason people love yoga, it is a lot of breathing. Slowing down breathing is calming and cleansing to the body. Don’t know how? Google YouTube videos of relaxation breathing and find one that is right for you. Or even better your local yoga studio might even offer a free week of yoga.  Its FREE….how can you say no?