Did you have a busy day? Today’s women have a plethora of responsibilities; work, children, errands, meetings and more. It’s no wonder that you may be feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.
Have you ever just needed an outlet, but didn’t know what to do? Meditation, music and journaling may be able to help you de-stress and increase your peace of mind.
Use Meditation to Relax
Meditation is a free tool that can be used by anyone, anywhere and requires no special equipment. People have been using meditation for thousands of years to calm the mind, body and soul. You can also use it to improve your emotional well-being by clearing away the jumble of stress and information overloading your mind. According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation can help you gain perspective in stressful situations, increase your self-awareness, reduce negative emotions, and help you focus on the present.
To begin meditating:
· Pick a Setting: Quiet places without distractions are best for beginners. Turn your cell phones and other distracting devices off.
· Get Comfortable: Sit or lie down, make yourself as comfortable as possible. If sitting and lying down is not comfortable to you, you may walk while meditating.
· Breathe: Take deep, even breaths using your diaphragm to increase oxygen flow and relax the neck, shoulder and chest muscles.
· Focus: Focus on a certain image or object, repeat a mantra or focus on your breathing to help push out the stressful thoughts.
Listen to and Play Music
According to the USA Today article, 20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music, listening to music can help reduce stress, elevate mood, and relieve symptoms of depression. Music can also aid in inducing a meditative state; listen to music while trying the meditation techniques listed above.
Try to incorporate music you’re your daily life by listening to music during your bath or shower, in the car on your commute, and while walking. You can also listen to calming music while meditating and at bedtime to help fall asleep.
Another way music can be an emotional outlet is by playing an instrument. If you already play a musical instrument, carve out some time in your schedule for it. You could even record your music to listen to it in your daily life, as listed above. Pour yourself into the music you create to release some of that pent-up stress and emotion.
If you don’t already play a musical instrument, it’s never too late to learn. The learning itself may even be an activity that gets your mind off of the stresses of your life and gives you a little “me time”. Sites like www.lessonrating.com can help put you in touch with a local teacher for a variety of instruments, as well as singing lessons.
Writing in a Journal
Writing about your experiences can help you focus on the problem and come up with solutions. Even if the situation can’t be resolved, journaling allows you to put it down on paper and let it out of your head. When you’re writing you can also make it a point to write down something good that happened that day. Then, when you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, go back through your journal and read about all the good things that have been happening to you recently. This well help you focus on the positive rather than the negative. When you’re not so focused on negatives and stressors, you will feel lighter and more at peace.
Combine meditation, music and journaling in your daily life to de-stress and live a calmer, more peaceful life.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the above article. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
Going back to school and also choosing to work for myself.
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
My work ethic and the determination I’ve had throughout my professional career.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
Achieving my education at an accelerated pace. Start a family!
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
I can be a a little too worrisome sometimes and cause myself to become stressed out.
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!) Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I my writing!
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net — “Young Woman Writing” by nuchylee
