5
Changes That Will Immediately Lower Your Stress Levels
Here are five simple behavioral changes that you can initiate
fairly easily to bring about an immediate lowering of stress in your life. With
simple ideas like these -- that don't require a commitment -- you can learn how
to reduce your stress by simply trying these exercises for one day. You'll see
results immediately and you can build your change based on the positive
feedback you will experience form starting small.
1. Stop rushing.
We rush around everywhere we go. We're almost addicted to it.
Try spending one day where you don't rush anywhere. Get up earlier than you
need to. Allow extra time for doing everything. Enjoy JUST ONE DAY at a
leisurely pace -- even if it's your day off -- and see how absolutely delicious
it feels to stop and chat wherever you feel like it, or to drive sanely between
destinations, or to pause when the feeling moves you and literally stop
and smell the roses.
2. Arrive early.
In attempting to arrive places on time, we're often late
because we don't build in extra time for traffic jams, accidents and other
inevitable delays. When you plan to arrive early, you not only allow for these
unforeseen circumstances, but your travel time becomes infinitely more
enjoyable because you're not spending the entire trip stressing about.
3. Create a comfortable morning routine.
When you start off your day arguing with your spouse or
roommate, hurrying your children or family members, and trying to get yourself dressed
and ready in a short period of time, you will almost certainly begin your day
feeling stressed. To prevent this from happening, get things ready the night
before: put out your clothes for the next day, make your lunch, and take a
shower before bed. Do anything you can do ahead of time, so your morning
"rush" won't be so jam-packed.
4.
Go
to bed earlier and don't watch the 11 o'clock news.
The 11 o'clock news is full of stories that are designed to
catch your attention by making you feel anxious about crime, or rising prices,
or storms headed your way. This is not good for your serenity and is
antithetical to feeling sleepy. Turn of the TV and go to bed an hour earlier --
or read something inspirational or meditate and think about everything you have
to be grateful for. You'll sleep easier for it.
5.
Get
organized.
Disorganization can make you "crazy". Always losing
things, working from a messy desk and feeling bad about your messy house will
take its toll on your sanity. Spend at least one day a month simply organizing
your life. Or the next time you can't find something, instead of wasting time
feeling frustrated and looking everywhere for it, just start cleaning and
organizing your space. You'll probably spend about the same amount of time
clearing up as you would have wasted searching for the lost item. And
you'll almost always find the lost item in the process.
Remember, all change begin with awareness of what it is you want
to change. When you decide what it is you want to change, or the new habit you
want to add in, start small. Make one change at a time and practice it for
weeks, if not months, before adding in additional layers of change. That way,
you will ensure your eventual success. And even if you experience a setback,
remember that setbacks are a part of the process. Get right back on that
bucking horse named CHANGE and keep riding her until you reach the finish line
where you will not be the least bit tempted to go back to your old ways.
JAMES PORTER
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-e-porter/5-changes-that-will-immediately-lower-your-stress-levels_b_8229422.html?ir=Healthy%20Living?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003
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