Stress is endemic in today’s fast-paced society and we all know that too much stress can have a really negative impact on our minds and bodies. Imagine holding a glass of water in your outstretched hand; hold it for a few minutes and there’s no problem. Hold it for an hour and your arm would really ache and it would feel like a real burden. Hold it for a day or longer and you would be in trouble.
That’s just how it is with stress. A short burst of stress can be dealt with by our mind and body but if the stress lasts for longer it becomes a burden, a problem. Being in a stressed state on a regular basis means that our bodies are flooded with stress hormones and this, sooner or later could affect our health. As would be the situation with the glass of water when it’s held for too long and becomes a burden, holding onto our stress constantly is too much to handle and it can become difficult to carry on. If you put your ‘burden’ down for a while it gives your mind and body some respite and you will be stronger to deal with it when you need to.
Your subconscious mind cannot differentiate between real and imagined. Consequently, we can actually create stress for ourselves as the result of a thought or an imagined situation. Always fearing the worst is one of the main culprits so make sure you don’t fall into this trap.
Here are some techniques you can use to help you to put your ‘burden’ down:
1. At regular times during your day, think of something positive in your life. Believe me, there will be something. The trick is to recognise even the smallest of things too.
2. Ensure that you do something you enjoy each day. It doesn’t have to be anything grand; five or ten minutes to really focus on and enjoy a cup of tea will give your mind and body some respite from the stress. One of the best de-stressors is to go outdoors if you can and get some fresh air.
3. Take some exercise if you can. Any movement is exercise and sometimes it can even be turned into fun. Try putting on some music and cleaning or painting in time to the beat. Wielding a feather duster or a paint brush whilst pretending you’re a ballet dancer or conducting an orchestra might sound a bit crazy but it distracts from the thought of the chore, is good exercise and fun. It might actually reduce the stress levels of the neighbour who sees you doing this through the window too!
If high levels of stress have become a serious burden for you, stress reduction hypnotherapy session(s) can help to kick start your subconscious mind into working with you to reduce your response to situations you percieve to be stressful. Remember – it’s all in the mind.
Do let me know how you get on with these techniques. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further enquiries.
Remember – you deserve to feel relaxed!
Pamela
