Today's post is about noticing what stress feels like and looks like for you, and finding little yet important ways to reduce stress and nurture positive energy.
'You are the world's leadingauthority on yourself. You know best what stresses you, and what reduces the stress. This inner wisdom is based on a lifetime of living your life from the inside out. It is available to you anytime you care to consult it'.
-Matthew McKay + Patrick Fanning
Tending to self
To start, I encourage you to make a habit this week of noticing when you're becoming stressed. Simply paying attention to your own signals of tension can be a terrific first step in feeling less stress by naming it. Oh, there it is. Is there tension in your head + neck ... your tummy or gut ... your back ... ? Do you become less patient with unexpected issues ... Do you feel rushed and irritated?
Giving ourselves permission to pause and notice what we're feeling is an act of kindness that can go a long way in befriending our own experience.
Next, try doing something for 5 minutes that feels uplifting, such as walking quickly, singing to yourself, petting your cat, or taking pictures outside. Now, what do you feel in the areas of your body that were previously tense?
Getting curious about your moments of stress and their manifestations can be the first step in making them less weighty. They may not loom as large when they are seen + felt in the moment, tended to.
The Daily Relaxer book, as quoted above
http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Relaxer-Relax-Refresh-Spirit/dp/1572244542