Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

As we start a new year and a new decade many things in our life seem uncertain. The economy is not improving as fast as we would like and we have to wonder what the government is up to?

The national debt is doing nothing but increasing and the provider of the paper the government uses to print the money is having a hard time keeping up with demand.

So what does this mean for all of us?

It means that we need to do the best we can with the tools that we have. Use our education to the best of our ability. Hold our head high and move our lives forward the best way we can.

For some of us it means that we will need to re-invent our self.

We have questions about how we will pay the bills or put food on the table? How will we pay for college for our kids that are in high school? Will we be able to go on a family vacation this year? Will we ever be able to retire?

All of these questions create stress in our life. They create stress and sometimes strife within family units that can blow out of proportion to the questions that we ask. At times the stress feels like it will break you apart so how do we manage it?

Finding ways to relax is the key to living, healthy, happy, energetic and stress free.

Relaxation is the key to keeping your relationships healthy and keeping YOU SANE!

Relaxation is an essential part of stress management. Relaxation is not just about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. Relaxation decreases the wear and tear on your mind and body from the challenges, hassles and stress of daily life.

Relaxation techniques are an essential part of your quest for stress management. Relaxation isn't just about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. Relaxation is a process that decreases the wear and tear on your mind and body from the challenges and hassles of daily life.

Whether your stress is spiraling out of control or you've already got it tamed, you can benefit from learning relaxation techniques. Learning basic relaxation techniques is easy, often free or low cost, and poses little risk. Explore these simple relaxation techniques to get you started on de-stressing your life and improving your health.

With so many things to do, relaxation techniques may take a back seat in your life. But that means you might miss out on the health benefits of relaxation.
Practicing relaxation techniques can reduce stress symptoms by:

Slowing your heart rate
Lowering blood pressure
Slowing your breathing rate
Increasing blood flow to major muscles
Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
Improving concentration
Reducing anger and frustration
Boosting confidence to handle problems

Health professionals such as complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, doctors and psychotherapists can teach various relaxation techniques. But if you prefer, you also can learn some relaxation techniques on your own.

In general, relaxation techniques involve refocusing your attention to something calming and increasing awareness of your body. It doesn't matter which relaxation technique you choose. What matters is that you practice relaxation regularly to reap the benefits.

There are several main types of relaxation techniques, including:

Autogenic relaxation. Autogenic means something that comes from within you. In this relaxation technique, you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestions in your mind to help you relax and reduce muscle tension. You may imagine a peaceful place and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heart rate, or feeling different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg one by one.

Progressive muscle relaxation. In this relaxation technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This helps you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. You become more aware of physical sensations. One method is to start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. Tense your muscles for at least five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat.

Visualization. In this relaxation technique, you form mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation. During visualization, try to use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound and touch. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about such things as the smell of salt water, the sound of crashing waves and the warmth of the sun on your body. You may want to close your eyes, sit in a quiet spot and loosen any tight clothing.

Other common relaxation techniques include:
Yoga
Tai chi
Listening to music
Exercise
Meditation
Hypnosis
Massage

Relaxation techniques take practice
As you learn relaxation techniques, you'll become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment you start to feel stress symptoms. This can prevent stress from spiraling out of control.

Remember that relaxation techniques are skills. And as with any skill, your ability to relax improves with practice. Be patient with yourself — don't let your effort to practice relaxation techniques become yet another stressor.

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