Stress Relief Strategies

Stress is a normal part of life, from minor difficulties to major crises. And, while you may not always be able to control your circumstances, you can always control how you react to them.
When stress becomes overwhelming or chronic, it can affect your well-being. That's why it's essential to have effective stress relievers that can calm your mind and body. 

Some effective stress management techniques include:

Meditate
Meditation provides both short-term stress relief and long-term stress management benefits. There are numerous types of meditation to try, each with its own distinct appeal. You could create a mantra to repeat in your mind as you take slow, deep breaths. Or, you might take a few minutes to practice mindfulness, which involves being in the moment. Simply focus on what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell.
When you're focused on the here and now, you won't be able to ruminate about something that already happened and you can't worry about something in the future. Meditation and mindfulness require practice, but they can make a significant difference in your overall stress level by bringing you back to the present moment.

Focus on breathing
Simply focusing on your breathing or changing the way you breathe can have a significant impact on your overall stress level. Breathing techniques can calm both your body and mind in a matter of minutes. The best part is that no one will notice you're doing them. So whether you're in a stressful meeting or you're sitting in a crowded theater, breathing exercises could be key to reducing your stress.
While there are many different breathing exercises, such as karate breathing, here are a few simple ones:

• Breathe in through your nose and watch your belly fill with air. As you inhale, slowly count to three. Hold for one second, then slowly exhale through your nose while counting to three again.
• Inhale through your nose, imagining yourself inhaling peaceful, calm air. Consider how the air is spreading throughout your body. As you exhale, imagine that you're breathing out stress and tension.

To be continued...