This month I want to talk to you about stress. For quite a while now “stress” has been one of the most fashionable words around. Like “sexy” or “celebrity”. And sometimes we are inclined to groan or to roll our eyes when we hear people complain about stress. But the fact remains that no matter how balanced we are or how content within our lives we may appear, we still encounter situations that cause us to feel anxious, under pressure or to have hugely stressful thoughts.
As young adults we experience stress when we compare ourselves to our peers and worry about our jobs, our looks, our money and lots of other things. And then at some point as we grow older we all inevitably have to deal with the issue of our mortality - whether it comes in the form of some sickness, or a midlife crisis or just hormonal misbehavior. And we slide into different kinds of stresses and face difficult questions: "Where I am going? What I am doing with my life? Why I am doing this?"
And, of course, these questions are impossible to avoid in the modern world. We are flooded with self-help books promising to solve all our problems or magazines full of simple steps to get whatever we wish for: 3 ways to inner peace, 6 hassle-free food fixes, 21 ways to feel good, 99 steps to happiness, 101 foods for health... To even look at all this abundance of tips can be stressful enough on its own, and that's before you embark on the first of your 21 or 99 steps towards financial freedom or the perfect relationship.
The interesting thing is that all the recommendations are wonderful and have worked for some people. I have no doubt about that! However, as soon as you start to introduce these great advices into your own life, they tend not to bring all the amazing benefits which they claim. Why? Because they are taken out of the context of your unique life and body. As a practitioner of Health Kinesiology I can certify that I encounter a very simple truth on a daily basis – we are all so different that one rule cannot be applied similarly to even just two people!
But, despite all this, I am now going to do exactly the same thing myself. And I'm in good company because I'm following the example of the great German philosopher I.Kant. Not so many centuries ago Kant refuted 5 established proofs of God’s existence, and then after seeming to deny God's existence, he proceeded to introduce a 6th Proof which demonstrated that God must existJ! And me too – after all this talk about why the self-help tips which we are bombarded with by the media don’t work, I am coming to you with a wonderful self-help tip, that is universal and can be applied by everyoneJ!!
The Simple Instant Impact action (or call it whatever you wish)
This 4-step action is designed to stop stressful situations having a negative effect on your body and mind.
This will enable you to act and make decisions based on clear, stress-free thinking rather than as a response to negative emotions such as fear, anger, grief, guilt etc. In addition, this is a very discreet action which is more or less possible to perform ‘secretly’ when in public. So:
1. Rate your stress on the 0 to 10 scale – focus on the overall level of stress you are experiencing at that moment.
2. Place your hands together so that the palms are touching in any position that feels comfortable for you. Focus on the stress you wish to release.
3. Do Power breathing for 10 seconds – relax your belly, breathe in deeply and slowly so that your lower stomach expands as your lungs fill.
4. Do deep rapid belly breaths in and out and visualize how the stress leaves your body with each belly constriction.
There is a trick however. You have to remember to do it while in the stressful situation!
So why is this one self-help tip universal? Well, let's think about that. Why have people throughout the ages been folding their hands together when they pray?
Tradition, you might say.
That’s possible, but there is a reason behind this tradition. This hand position – much fabled and seen through iconic images and in places of spiritual congregation - creates a complete circle within your bio-system. It is not just that there are stress release acupressure points in palms that get activated when you put or press hands together lightly, but by bringing your palms together you also bring your body’s ‘polarities’ together – simply put: the right hand (+) meets the left hand (-), and that creates a neutral space within the whole system. The circle is complete.
As for the benefits of breathing that are included in this tip, maybe some other time.
Thank you for reading my Newsletter. If you found the information relevant and interesting, please, share it or pass it along to someone else.
If you need more help navigating to healthier living habits, call me or e-mail me. I look forward to working with you!
