A little imagination goes a long way, and during times of stress we often lose sight of how to imagine ourselves in nice situations and find things to do to de-stress ourselves. C'est la vie; often when we need something most it is furthest from our grasp and this is a vicious circle. So for that reason here are a few reminders and tips of easy ways to eliminate stress during this or any crisis.
1. Change your reactions little by little - bearing in mind that the traditional response to extreme stress is "fight or flight" it is important to change it up gradually. This is a built in reaction and can often be used for situations where it is not really deserved. Check yourself the next time you feel yourself stressing out and ask yourself does this deserve a "fight or flight" reaction? When you start to see that you may be over-reacting sometimes this will put things into perspective and you will feel less stressed.
2. The world is falling apart all around us, between the economy, the very structure of society and now the pig flu. But you are the only person who is responsible for your own happiness. Remember that simple pleasures go a long way. Find something simple that you like to do, and lose yourself in it. Run a bath, using the wonderful I Coloniali range, dance around in your living room, do whatever crazy, silly or simple thing that lets you relax. Or do all of these things together, in the bathroom..turn on your favourite music and light a few candles, and transport yourself to another world.
3. Get out into nature - you may have heard this before, but it works. Even if the weather is not good, it is so important to make that effort, as most of us spend far too long every day in artificial surroundings and we were not actually designed for this. Although the computer generation will find that hard to believe..
4. Live in the moment - one of humankind's most common mistakes is to live in the past or the future, and not in the moment. We spend so much time regretting or looking back to the past, and apart from learning from our past experiences, the past should be left in the past. No harm to enjoy fond memories, just be healthy about this. Or we look to the future, wondering if all will be ok, will we be successful, find love, have money, health etc. and while we are so busy with our thoughts in the past and the future, what are we doing, we are missing out on the present! Live in the moment, enjoy observing and being part of it, this helps eliminate stress, even only because you have so less for your thoughts to deal with at once.
5. Don't take yourself too seriously. A crisis can lead to people becoming overly serious, and this take us away from true creativity and talent. Focus on finding ways to laugh at yourself from time to time, and make others laugh whenever possible.
Laughter is a wonderful medicine.
6. Make love not war. Making love in a good relationship is another great way to eliminate stress. Avoid getting tied up in the I'm too stressed or too tired, and make love instead.
7. The weekend de-stress recipe (or when you have at least 2 hours to spare de-stress cocktail): Go for a wild walk in nature, take a dog if you have one! Observe every little sensation along the way. Leave any troubles at your front door before going out. Come back as dirty, wet and sweaty as you please and run yourself a luxurious bath, try the recommended J&E Atkinsons I Coloniali for extra effect. As you run your bath make sure to have a laugh at how messy you look - assuming you do after your wild walk.
Enjoy your luxurious bath, and by now you should be ready to tip toe to surprise your partner. If you don't have a suitable partner to lure into your clutches, get yourself prepared with a favourite comedy and nibbles.
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