“MY TOP 10”
I cautiously write, “MY TOP 10” because I really believe that what works for one may not work for another and what works for you now may change over time to something completely different. This is what is so cool about our human lives… we change, or at least have the ability to change. We don’t have to be stuck with the same thing no matter what it is over and over again. So, I write “MY TOP 10” in hope to help inspire someone to just start an exercise or a practice for battling chronic stress or maybe to just take down the stress level a few decibels so it is a bit more manageable.
NO LIMITS
I don’t believe in limiting yourself to only doing certain things to help relieve stress. Everyone’s stress is unique to themselves and there are a million and one ways to deal with it. Certainly there are the tried and true exercises that are the go-tos for most people and are very popular because they work on a universal level. That being said, don’t feel limited to what everyone else is doing, use your imagination and have fun. The main goal is to relieve stress, adding to your arsenal of tools to do this will only help aid you along this journey.
AT HOME
For the sake of this article we are going to imagine that you are stuck inside and can not go out. We will pretend that it is raining, although I love the rain and I would actually use it as an excuse to go outside and be in it, we will add lightning and thunder and if that is not enough we will say there is fire… yes fire falling from the sky… rain, thunder, lightning and fire, this should keep us inside at least for this article. The truth is there are a lot of instances when we can not get outside, but fret not because there are a plenty of wonderful things you can do right under your own roof to help calm the stressors.
EXERCISE VS. PRACTICE VS. TECHNIQUE VS. MODALITY
Depending on the subject matter, any of the above words can mean the same thing or something completely different. A lot of people understand the word “exercise” to mean something physical that you have to be doing like a physical workout. In this article I refer to the above words as a way to do something for mind, body and spirit. So this can be something mental, physical or spiritual, and if you can utilize an exercise that works with all three the more complete your practice will be.
HAVE FUN
Attitude is everything. Your whole view can change with a smile. Before you begin to do anything physical it is already mental. Of course there are times when it just won’t come, no matter how hard you try there is too much pain or possibly anger that blocks the good vibes from flowing. No problem, you will work your way through this with some amazing exercises and practices and hopefully by the time you have completed your goal you will have a smile on your face and having fun :)
MY AT HOME LIST PART I - LOW IMPACT
Part I of this article will discuss low impact exercises to do at home and in part II we will discuss my favorites for a more active way to reduce stress at home. The goal is to change the vibration, clear the energy, reduce stress and feel good. So without further ado… here is my top low impact exercises to reduce stress at home.
1.
DEEP BREATHING
Without the ability to breathe we would… well, not be breathing and that would not be good. Obviously this is a very important function for our body to perform. Our bodies perform this function automatically without us consciously even thinking about it {thank you body}. But when we think about it consciously we can take over and give the body a big boost. This boost can give us all kinds of amazing benefits, such as, working as a natural pain killer, reducing inflammation, improving digestion, just to name a few but it also helps relieve stress. I personally like this one because you can perform it anywhere and anytime. It is easy to do and does not require a lot of time. Of course there are a lot of different methods and like any exercise it can get very detailed and involved if you want to go there, but for me and for now I like to keep it simple. I will sit on the floor with my legs crossed or sometimes lie flat on my back in a comfortable position and simply begin to breathe, I start by filling my lungs with air and then holding for a few seconds before I release. Once all of the air has been exhaled I will hold again for a few seconds until I breathe back in and start the process all over again. I have trained myself to do 3 sets of 30 reps, this seems to be a good amount and when I am finished I feel oxygenated, refreshed, and relaxed. An amazing natural exercise with a tremendous sense of wellbeing.
2.
STRETCHING
Just to say the word, “stretching” makes me feel good and I immediately begin to mentally loosen up. The reason I love stretching so much is you get to tune your body to your own liking. You pick what body part(s) need adjusting and as you stretch you can instantly feel the effects. Physically the result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility, and range of motion, but stretching goes a lot further than just these benefits and since we are talking about reducing stress, stretching is an excellent tool to do just that. Gently stretching from my head to my toes makes this exercise feel complete and afterward I am ready to take on the world.
3.
YOGA
I love a good challenge and Yoga is a worthy adversary. I am far from a professional but who says you need to be a professional? Not me. I am probably a really sloppy Yoga practitioner in comparison to most. My poses are all over the place and my balance is well… a work in progress, but none of this stops me from diving in and striking/holding a pose. Yoga is a combination of physical balance, control and meditation all rolled up into one. Mindfulness with a great cardio workout all at the same time. With Yoga you really get to know yourself better, parts of your body you never knew existed come front and center as the burn touches every muscle group on the entire body. Stress? What stress?
4.
MEDITATION
“Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.” - Wikipedia.
I love meditation and all that it can do to reduce stress, but it doesn’t stop there, the benefits of practicing meditation on a regular basis will reach far and wide into the mind, body and spirit connection, rewarding you for the rest of your life. Practiced traditionally in a sitting position and in a quiet space with your eyes closed would work for most, but I also meditate while jogging, hiking, and many other activities as long as I am keeping myself aware of my state of being. Magic happens when you are paying attention.
5.
GARDENING
“The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.” - Gertrude Jekyll
It never dawned on me that getting my hands dirty could be so relaxing, and when I say “dirty” I really mean dirt, well soil to be more specific. At first I planted out of necessity to fill my outside balconies where I live with something so they didn’t look so barren and empty. Off I went to the local Home Depot to buy a flower in a pot, one and done, but then it grew and I had to transplant it, this is where things got dirty. At first I tried to avoid as much dirt as possible, I even wore gloves to protect myself, but as anyone knows who gardens it becomes inevitable that dirt will find its way. Once I accepted that being dirty comes with the job, it began to feel good and natural in my hands. Gardening is extremely grounding and great way to bury your stress, not to mention my balconies look beautiful as I get to stare at roses instead of a block of concrete.
To be continued… PART II