Welcome To the Stress to Strength ProgramWelcome to the Stress to Strength Program. A program designed to remind you of the power that lies within you. Stress can have a debilitating impact on our mental, emotional & physical health. This program is here to assist you in gathering some simple techniques & strategies to help you minimise and manage the stresses in your life. Take time to practice them each day, so that they become healthy habits that become a natural part of your life. Perhaps focus on one technique for a week, month or timeframe that feels right for you. Don't hesitate to contact me to see how you can best work with this program,
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Deep Breaths to help Release StressThe breath is one of the most powerful tools we have to release stress and create calm. Taking some big deep breaths can help us before & after stressful situations and can remind our body to let go of stress and tension that it is holding onto. Similarly, taking some deep breaths as you lay in bed before sleep, can help you release your day & show your body that it is time to let go and rest. Deep breathing can also help to make your breath more efficient & effective & ensure your body is as oxygenated as it can be & that all that needs to be released is released.
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Grounding Yourself |
Mindful Breathing |
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Knowing how to Ground yourself & stay grounded is one of the most valuable tools to have at your disposable. Grounding creates stability & gives us the strength and ability to make decisions and choices that truly serve us well. When we're not grounded we can feel scattered, disconnected, overwhelmed & disorientated. Being grounded means we have a strong connection to our body & to the Earth. To Ground yourself you can simply stand on the ground and notice your feet connected to the Earth, you can go for a walk or a run or do another activity that brings you back into the body. Gardening & connecting to trees & plants can also help you feel grounded.
Letting go of Stress with SoundThe real concern is when stress accumulates in the body & mind, so what we are aiming to do is to find ways to help release the stress that we've been holding onto. Sound is one thing we can utilise to help us let go of stress. Perhaps when you take your deep breaths you can sigh the breath out or you can make a sound that helps you let go of what you are holding onto. You may also want to play a song that feels relevant to you at this time and sing along to help express & release what has been held inside. In addition to this we can use sound to rebalance ourselves by attending or listening to a sound healing such as singing bowls, gongs, drumming or chimes. You may also want to join a chanting community or find some chants online you can chant along with.
Movement & helping the body let go of StressMovement is another way we can let go of stress! We can literally 'shake it off", stretch our body to release tension & help keep ourselves well by engaging in regular exercise. Try and find some exercise that you enjoy and/or team up with a friend, partner or personal trainer to help keep you motivated & committed. You may also want to join a group, class or community. Be willing to take the first step, no matter how small it is, knowing that each step makes a difference. Find fun ways to incorporate movement into your life by starting a work challenge, making a funny dance video or creating a blog of your journey. If you are someone who takes exercise very seriously, make time to do something fun with your movement, as this seriousness could be adding to your stress. This might involve creating or joining a fun event, slowing it down or helping someone else get moving. Remember it's important to find ways of being more lighthearted with what you do. Movement can also be moving ourselves away from a situation that is not healthy for us. If you feel your stress building up, it might be time to go for a walk, get some air and reset yourself.
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Mindful breathing is a wonderful tool to bring you back into the body & the present moment. It is a very relaxing practice that can help you find the calm in those stressful moments. Simply begin my noticing your breath, being aware of how you are breathing & the way your breath is moving around your body. You can simply be aware of the breath & continue noticing or you can add this simple mantra; As you breath in, silently say to yourself, "I am breathing in" and as you breathe out, silently say to yourself, "I am breathing out". Repeat this for 2-5minutes and see how this mantra soothes you into a state of calm and helps you feel better equipped to manage your stresses and go about your day.
Creating Peace with your BreathCombining the breath with the energy we want to create can be a powerful way to let go of stress. As you breathe in, silently say to yourself, "I m breathing in peace" and as you breathe out, silently say to yourself, I am breathing out peace. As you do this imagine the peace filling every cell of your body & flowing out into the space around you. Keep doing this until you are completely filled with peace within & without. You can do this with other energies you want to cultivate such as love, calm, strength & harmony. You can also breath out what you want to let go of such as fear, guilt, stress, tension & shame.
Alternate Nostril BreathingAlternate Nostril Breathing is one of my favourite breathing exercises and helps to bring calm and clarity to both body and mind. It is a deeply cleansing exercise that can help you re-centre, refocus and rebalance. You can use this practice as a stand alone breathing exercise/mini meditation or incorporate it into your yoga or meditation practice if you already have routines established. This exercise is also good to practice before important conversations, job interviews or any other situation that requires clarity and calm. It is also a great way to start or end your day, having the power to both bring calm and clarity to your day and help you have a peaceful and relaxed sleep at night.
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