Since today would have been Lucille Ball's 100th birthday, it's only fitting to consider the power of laughter in stress relief. When is the last time you laughed, hard? Was it just earlier today? Or a couple of days ago? With high stress, it's pretty easy to get serious and worried. Playfulness and stress usually … [Read more...]
Hidden Effects of Stress Breathing – II
In a recent post I talked about some of the hidden effects of “stress breathing,” or breathing only as far as the chest area. There is an additional hidden effect of that shallower, tighter way of breathing; that’s the effect on your emotions. Our emotions can affect our breath, of course. When we are feeling calm … [Read more...]
How to Keep Your Stress High: A Recipe
1.) Don’t take any breaks during the day. There’s just too much to do. 2.) Tell yourself stories about problems or irritations, preferably all day long. Use detail to keep your emotions following the mental stories, so you end up angry if it’s an angry story, or sad if it’s a sad story. Extra points for continuing … [Read more...]
Stress and Worry: A Shortcut to Calm
Feeling stressed out and worried can be exhausting. There’s the trying to get everything done. That’s tiring enough. Then there’s the extra energy that it takes to worry, and the tension caused by stress. All that leaves us even more drained. When we’re stressed and spinning, it can help to short-circuit the … [Read more...]