Stress, America's #1 health problem, is a leading cause of major illness. In
fact, heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression are just some of the
harmful effects of stress. Research has shown that releasing stress and learning
how to relax promotes a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life.
Here are 3 easy ways to reduce your stress fast!
1. Breathe Deeply
Take 3 slow deep breaths. Taking the breath from your diaphragm, through your
nose, holding for about 2 seconds and then slowly exhaling through your mouth.
Why slow deep breaths? Because when we are under stress, we tense up,
constricting the oxygen to our body. Taking slow deep breaths brings oxygen
throughout our body resulting in feeling centered and releasing stress. Giving
your body much needed oxygen will release tension and stress fast.
2. Meditate
The purpose of meditation is to relax and to release stress. Meditation allows
the body to relax and permits a means to release the “chatter” in your mind. It
is important for you to know that there is no right or wrong way to meditate.
Meditation is simply a form of concentration and focus; it is a process that
quiets the mind. Since much of our negative stress is caused by our own
thoughts, this is an especially useful method.
Here are steps for a popular, quick, and easy guided mediation:
Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes.
Take 3 deep breaths.
Visualize all the stress in your mind and body as a cloud of gray smoke. Allow
this cloud to be released through the crown of your head. Imagine the gray cloud
floating into the sky and disappearing. Feel the weight of the stress being
releasing out of your body and into the cloud. Allow your shoulders to drop and
continue until you have no more gray smoke or for about 10 minutes.
Imagine a healing white light that has surrounded your body. Feel the warmth of
this light and allow it to infiltrate your body. Slowly open your eyes.
3. Try Hypnosis
This technique involves sitting comfortably with your eyes closed while
listening to suggestions. Hypnosis is relaxation, focus, and suggestion. Using
these three elements your mind and body will enter into a deeply relaxed state
that gives you an overall sense of well being and tranquility. Hypnosis is one
of the oldest and most natural modes of healing dating back to 1000 B.C. In 1958
the American Medical Association approved the therapeutic use of hypnosis. This
brought mainstream recognition that hypnotherapy was a valid and legitimate form
of healing. During this time hypnotherapy was respected and accepted in America.
Meditation & Guided Imagery are techniques that use the natural power of the
mind in creating what you want in life. Einstein estimated that we only use 10%
of our brains. In practicing Meditation and Guided Imagery, we have access to
the other 90%. Since thoughts are one of the most powerful possessions we can
have, it is important to keep the thoughts and images positive. Meditation and
Guided Imagery works because the Physical Universe is energy, this energy is
vibrating at different speeds. Energy is magnetic causing similar thoughts to
attract other similar thoughts. What we dwell on, we will attract. Thoughts and
ideas are high vibrating forms of energy and are very powerful. Form then
follows ideas. This is the reason that thoughts and ideas in Meditation and
Guided Imagery particularly must be in a positive form.
Here are some steps to make Meditation and Hypnosis more effective…
- Desire- You must have the desire to make a positive change in your life.
- Belief- You must believe in the power of the mind.
- Acceptance- You must accept the process of Meditation and
Hypnotherapy including the results. - Set you goal- Decide on what you want and be committed to it.
- Create a Clear Idea or Picture- Create the vision in your imagination and
make it clear. - Focus on it often- Keep the images of your goal in your mind as often as
possible. - Give it Positive Energy- Keep your frame of mind and thoughts positive.
- Look For the Positive Changes- Look for the subtle ways Meditation and
Hypnosis are changing your life, and believe in the magic of life!
Marla Sloane Ph.D. is a successful author and speaker. Her Daily Positive
Affirmations subscribers have reached world-wide proportions, and her book, "The
Masks We Wear and How to Live Without Them" is at the heart of her teleclasses;
Live Your Best Life. You can visit her web site at: www.marlasloane.com
