Easy, Economical Ways to Really Relax

Does muggy weather or the dry heat days of summer, just like we have in Tucson, make you feel edgy? Is your reaction to another person's behavior making you feel hot under the collar? Are you frustrated or overwhelmed by unfinished projects at work or at home? 

Perhaps family obligations are more than you want to deal with right now. Maybe you are doubling up on work to pay down credit card debt or watching every penny so that you'll be able to send a kid to college. Don't delay. Check out my ideas for free or inexpensive ways to really relax. 

If you want to face the rest of your day refreshed, renewed and raring to go...

Change Your Pace to Refresh

At times, we forget to give ourselves permission to take a 5 or 10 minute break . Take all the time you need to read the definition of relax and breathe deeply.

Stand up for a quick stretch to relieve muscle tension. Reach for the sky and down toward your toes. Spreading your arms wide with palms toward the sky, helps you release trapped energy you've picked up from sitting too long or stressing about things you are powerless over.

Run in place, when you feel sluggish, stale, or foggy headed. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins, the feel good hormone.

Power walk (even 5 minutes will do) to speed up metabolism. If possible, get outdoors for exercise. Nature is a natural healer, one that doesn’t cost anything. Take responsibility for your well-being. Once you're in motion by moving outdoors, your spirit and body will thank you.

Put your feet up, against the wall to do a restorative yoga pose, Viparita Karani. All this pose requires of you is to do no more than rest and breathe. Relax in this pose for 1 or 2 minutes at first. Then gradually rest for 5 or 10 minutes at a time. Feet up the wall pose changes the effect of the pull of gravity on your circulation. When you stand, gravity tends to draw blood toward your feet. When you invert yourself in this pose, blood tends to be flow in the opposite direction, toward your head. Read this article from Cindi Lee to Check Out Proper Body Alignment at Yoga Journal Before Doing this Pose.

Switch Off Perfectionism

Learning to do something new requires practice, determination, and concentration. If your default setting is to be hard on yourself for making mistakes, you set yourself up for self-criticism, negativity, and tension. Adjust your thinking by observing how often perfectionism brings self-inflicted stress into your body, mind, and spirit. 

Eliminate the internal critic by telling yourself you are okay, no matter how long it takes you to learn new behaviors, move forward, and change. Treat yourself gently. Self-compassion gives us strength to postpone instant gratification for a longer term goal.

I've discovered that perfectionism is a fear-based behavior that I adopt when I try to control an outcome in order to receive love and acceptance from others. Whenever I realize I'm striving for the wrong reason, outward instead of inward approval, I can make a conscious decision to switch off perfectionism. As soon as I focus on my learning curve and appreciate my efforts to gain new knowledge, information, and skills, I become my own best friend. 

"Being able to feel content about progress without an expectation of perfection is a life-skill that helps us live gracefully." Nancy Andres

Be a Good Vibes Leader

Think Positive Thoughts and Smile

Your attitude and behavior influences your level of relaxation. 

Do this:

1. Count your blessings.

2. Let go of striving to fix or change other people, places, and things. When you can accept things as they are, you will find ways to be at ease about today's reality.

3. Make the choice to see the humanity in everyone and be kind and encouraging to others.

4. Bring passion to your own work and lifestyle.

5. Self-caring behaviors like those above and napping, eating a nourishing meal, and short breaks in daily routine, helps you refresh and renew yourself.

Human beings are naturally attracted to those that are happy and smiling! Are you eager to work and play with people who have a positive outlook? 

Yes. Our relationships can stress us or satisfy us. If yours are bending you out of shape too often, perhaps you need to back away from some people and relationships, kick back, and unwind. 

Note: If you're looking for hints about ways to communicate more effectively, see this article from Susan Heitler Ph.D. at Psychology Today, "10 Things to Say to Generate Good Feelings."

Additional Ideas to Help You Take Time for You

1. Put in a phone call to a mentor, life coach, or chat with a confidant.

2. Eat lunch with a pal or go to the movies with your best friend.  

3. Decide to put a tense or stressful situation on the shelf for a short time, while you listen to your favorite music or dance up a storm. You may have a new perspective about the scenario, when you look again. 

4. Indulge in a hobby, read a book, daydream, or work on a craft project.

5. Laugh often, laugh at your foibles, and laugh at life's absurdities

People who take good care of themselves by having downtime as well as work spurts, find balance, energy, creativity, flexibility, and resilience that is necessary to lead a healthful and happy life. 

The quote for today follows:

"Take precious time to just be." Nancy Andres

Take Precious Time to Just Be

Before you go, please comment, ask questions, or share whether it's easy or hard for you to kick back and relax. Why do you think that's so? I'd appreciate feedback, as it's challenging for me to take frequent breaks during my workday. I know I feel better when I do. I often get caught up in the creative writing process, and think I might lose my train of thought and enthusiasm if I take time away from my computer. Any input is greatly appreciated.

This post was updated 5/10/18

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4 Ways to Discover Balance and Joy This Holiday Season

Discover balance and joy this holiday season by aligning your mind, body, and spirit. If this seems like too much of a challenge to you, you’re not alone. According to a study from Weight Watchers, the average American gains around 7-10 lbs. between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

The holiday blues and seasonal affective disorder plague others. Learn what Maude Purcell LCSW, CEAP suggests to help you outsmart the holiday blues at Beat the Holiday Blues

Are you one of the those people who have unrealistic expectations of yourself and others or a preconceived notion of how the holidays should turn out? Has entertaining, party going, gift shopping, and life on the run become a drudge or thrown you off center? There is help for you.

Here are 4 ways you may wander off from a healthy course and 4 remedies to fix them.

Excuse # 1: Everyone strays from their routine, especially since it’s a stressful and “so much happening” season.

Remedy #1: Talk about feelings as they come up, rather than stuff feelings with foods, over-spending, or a frenzy of activity. Limit commitments, holiday events, or preparations to things you really want to do and only add extra things if they won’t tax your sense of well-being. Choose to be with the people who matter the most to you and bow out of situations with people, functions, or customs that have less meaning for you. If you feel bent out of shape or anxious, meditate or do deep breathing exercises to bring you back to your center.

Excuse #2: I have no time or energy for exercise.

Remedy #2: Fit exercise into holiday activities, by parking your car as far away from stores as possible and use the stairs instead of escalator or elevator at the mall. When you can, walk to shops, post office, or food shopping instead of driving. Stretch at your computer, on line at the bank or farmers’ market, or in bed before you get out of it in the morning. Include the playground, park, roller or ice skating ring, biking, skiing, and walking in family fun activities for the holidays. Give exercise gifts like a spa day or gym membership to yourself or others.

Excuse #3: I’m too pooped to cook. This excuse may create a dangerous situation, because you’re likely to grab snack or junk foods instead of real food or overeat in a restaurant. Most foods sold commercially include ingredients like soy oil (unless it’s organic it’s likely to be GMO), artificial sweeteners, high sodium, and heavy sauces and dressings.

Remedy # 3: Shop for holiday presents throughout the year. That way there's no last minute rush. Cook up batches of food and freeze to use when you’re too tired to whip up something that day. If you go to a restaurant instead of cooking, make sure to eat smart when you eat out. Here’s a link to a blog post that will help you do just that. Eat Out Eat Smart

Excuse # 4: I’ll start to diet in the New Year. In days gone by, I've said this to myself in hopes that it would postpone the pain I'd feel from disciplining myself to push away from the table and stop eating unhealthful foods. I also thought stalling with a start date gave me permission to gobble down that basket of bread right now. But I did feel the pain, as I patted my middle section and felt where all that bread went. That’s not all. The day after a holiday party and three cups of Eggnog, I felt bloated, unattractive, lethargic, and cranky from sugar and simple carb overload.

Remedy # 4: Change your mindset to change your behavior around food. Look at what you eat, when you eat, why you eat, and perhaps you’ll conclude that prevention is more effective than cure. Researchers have found that it’s advantageous to make a lifestyle change the minute you realize you need to clean up your food eating act. You won’t have regrets for maintaining a bad habit or guilt from procrastinating. I have noticed when my awareness level and motivation is at a peak, the momentum keeps me going longer and stronger. Be gentle with yourself if you have a food slip, but start anew to notice what foods you crave or gorge on. Ask yourself when, where, and under what circumstances do you eat unhealthily? Set a health improvement goal rather than weight loss or gain. This way you can be a winner over and over again. 

Here are 2 Websites that address emotional eating...

Website of Debbie Danowski and Website of Geneen Roth

Keep in mind the winter holiday season coincides with cold and flu season. That’s why it's important to ward off illness and energy drain by eating nourishing foods and filling yourself up with the love, peace, brotherhood, and light that Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa holidays convey.

Be well. Live well. Lead a colorful life. Happy Holidays Everyone!

The quotation for today comes from Geneen Roth, Author of Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything. “Freedom from obsession is not about something you do; it's about knowing who you are. It's about recognizing what sustains you and what exhausts you. What you love and what you think you love because you believe you can't have it.”

Don't forget to order a copy or two of my woman's self-care journal, Colors of Joy: A Woman's Guide for Self-Discovery, Balance, and Bliss. It offers many tips and ideas to help women readers feel a greater sense of well-being and joy in daily living. Colors of Joy on My Website

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