Implementing an effective routine for “relaxing” is the key to
dealing with stress and anxiety in your life. Here are 24 of the most
powerful (and unique) exercises you can begin trying today:
1. Take a Cold Shower
It may not be relaxing while you are doing it, but taking a cold
shower is a fantastic way to calm the body and mind. After a chilly
rinse, you tend to feel at peace and serene and is a great activity
before bed time. I recommend doing this at least once a week!
2. Go Fishing
Fishing is one of the best ways to relax the body and mind. First
off, you are sitting in or near water, which is the most soothing
substance to mankind. Second, it usually
takes place in a quiet and calming setting. Third, if you fish with
some good friends then you experience a wonderful trifecta of relaxation
that is hard to get elsewhere!
3. Plan a Vacation
Having things to look forward to sooths the mind and stimulates a
positive mental outlook. Constantly planning vacations, weekend
getaways, or even a night out with friends can do wonders for your
personal well-being.
4. Go For a Long Drive
But make sure to do it on a traffic-free area, with no specific
destination in mind. Constant traffic causes undue stress for many of
us, and it is great practice to get out on the open road, listen to some
great music and just drive for the FUN of it!
5. Light Incense
Very few of us pay close attention to how our sense of smell affects
mood, and we can stimulate great feelings of relaxation by incorporating
wonderful smells in our life. Incense can be extremely therapeutic,
and if you have a fireplace I highly recommend lighting it up a few
times a month and enjoy the calming smell!
6. Go For An Early Morning Hike
The sounds, smells and sights of nature instill a calming and
peaceful feeling within all of us. In the next week, get up early and
go for a long hike and just feel the uninhibited presence of natural
beauty all around you. This is relaxation experience in its finest
form.
7. Take 10 Deep Breaths
Breathing is the king of all relaxation techniques! When you want to
relax, take a huge inhale through the nose, hold it for a count of 7,
and then release ALL the air through the nostrils. Do this 10 times in a
row and you will be in a totally different state!
8. Go For a Really Exerting Run
8. Go For a Really Exerting Run
Pushing your cardiovascular rhythm to its limits is a great way to
relax. You may not feel this way as you are doing it, but after a long
run you will feel tension-free and crisp. Remember, the sweat you are
losing contains toxins and stress! If you can’t run, do something that
is safely exerting for YOU.
9. Buy Yourself Something
So long as your choice of purchase is within reason, treat yourself
to a new clothing item, ipod, car or whatever you truly desire. This
can do wonders to relieve stress and I highly recommend you do this
guilt-free. Realize that you deserve it!
10. Pay Your Bills a Few Days Early
Instead of stressing about bills, and thinking about all the money
going out the door at the end of the month, intentionally pay your bills
a week or two early! This will help you will generate feelings of
accomplishment and freedom, and will also relax you when the normal time
comes to write checks.
11. Have Your Favorite Dessert– Guilt Free!
That’s right—a few times a month treat yourself to the sweet craving
you constantly deny yourself. Realize that consistent denial causes
tension, and allowing yourself indulgences, within reason, is a great
tool for relaxation.
12. Curl Up With a Really Good Book
12. Curl Up With a Really Good Book
For me, nothing is more relaxing than sitting in my home on a rainy
Friday night and curling up with a really good book. Implementing this
activity in your life is a true MUST for instilling calmness.
13. Try a Sauna Or Take a Steam
Spending time in either one of these treatment centers drains your
body of toxins and deodorizes the organs and skin. You will feel SO
good afterward and I recommend jumping in a Sauna or a Steam room at
least once a week.
14. Book an Aromatherapy Massage
Massage HAS to be a staple of any relaxation routine, and adding
scented oils and creams stimulates calmness in a wider range of senses.
Try and get a professional massage at least once every 6 weeks to
literally rub out stress, and if you have someone in your life that you
can trade massages with even better!
15. Buy a Foot Massage Machine
Similarly, investing in one of those contraptions that massages the
feet is an excellent way to add relaxation into your life. Our lowest
appendages feel the daily grind more than any other body part, at least
physically, and massaging them every day is a great idea.
16. Go For a Walk In The Rain
When it rains, we have become entrained to whip out our umbrellas and
hurry indoors. Next time, try letting go of this knee-jerk reaction
and take a freeing walk amid the showers. Don’t worry about your
clothes (you can deal with it later) and just enjoy the freshness of
rain on your body.
17. Go To a Comedy Club
Laughing until tears are streaming down your face is a terrific way
to relax your 5 senses and restore balance in the body. Find a really
good comedy club and frequent it a few times a month and start seeing
the stress-relieving benefits of laughter!
18. Sit In Silence For One Day
Pick a day in the next two weeks where you can shut off your phone,
turn off your email and literally sit in silence (and solitude) for 24
straight hours. Sound daunting? It can be at first, but integrating
this practice into your life quiets the never ending chatterbox in your
head.
19. Stare At a Candle For 15 Minutes
Lighting a candle and staring at is a wonderful relaxation
technique. As you try this, commit yourself to focusing ALL of your
attention on the flickering beauty. After some practice you may
experience moments of crisp awareness and heightened clarity, which are
the ultimate feelings of serentiy!
20. Go Star Gazing
State at them with great purpose. Contemplate that what you are
really staring at is the past; meaning the star you are observing is
really a sparkle from a distant age (given it takes millions of light
years to get here)! When you are done, bring yourself back to earth,
where you are, your situation, and your life. This will relax you.
21. Invest in Really Comfortable Furniture
Relaxation is about treating your body well ALL the time. We sit in
furniture for so much of our life that it is imperative to invest in
kinds that make you feel really good. If you drive a lot, but a
comfortable seat cushion for your car. If you work in an office, make
sure your chair molds nicely to your body. This is relaxation through
the prevention of stress!
22. Drink Soothing Tea
A nice calming hot cup of tea is an elixir of relaxation. Certain
teas also have a myriad of other health benefits, including being high
in antioxidants. Great options are chamomile and green tea.
23. Invest in a Posturpedic Pillow
We spend anywhere from 25-35% of our lives sleeping, and it is
critical to make this time as effective as possible. Posturpedic
pillows are expensive, but worth it. They mold to your head and
shoulders and insure proper alignment of the back as you slumber. The
results: increased energy, better focus, and a more relaxed attitude!
24. Go See a Mindless Movie
Sitting in the dark, eating some buttery popcorn and laughing at
ridiculously obvious jokes is a wonderful way to relax and get out of
your own head for a few hours. I recommend doing this at least once a
month, and you know the movies I am talking about (anything with Ben
Stiller in it will do the trick)!
This list is a follow-up to an article published a few weeks ago on We The Change called 25 Ways to Pamper Your Body and Increase Vitality.
In my opinion, this list of relaxation techniques is even more important for creating a fulfilling and meaningful life. Let me know what you think!
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