Copyright 2005 Christopher GreenIf you?re feeling like everything is getting on top of you,
or you?re finding it difficult to cope or function, or
you?re feeling down in the dumps, then try these 5
easy-to-do tips to relieve tension and stress and boost
your spirits:
1. Take a relaxing bath. Add music, candles and a glass of
your favourite drink: beer, tea, hot chocolate, wine or
even champagne. Close the door and forget about everything
else for an hour or so. This helps to increase levels of
calmness and the calmer we feel, the less likely we are to
get stressed out or depressed.
2. Comedy night: get in your favourite nibbles: chips,
tortillas, salsa, crackers, cheese, pizza, chocolate,
cookies, ice cream etc. Crack open a bottle of wine or pour
yourself a beer or two and spend a full evening watching
your favourite funny films or comedians. Laughter raises
our spirits and is a great antidote to the stresses and
trials of modern living.
3. Get out of the firing line: Take off for some peace and
quiet for a day or better still a weekend or a week. Take a
journal, relax and gather your thoughts. When we?re under
pressure or struggling to cope with a major situation or
event in life, seeing solutions to our problems can be
really difficult. Distance from problems can bring clarity
and relieve tension. I love going to the coast when I feel
like this and it always, without fail, helps me to calm
down and find solutions. I don?t know why but there?s
something really soothing about being near the ocean. Being
near water, come to think of it.
4. Increase calmness and feel great by indulging in
massage. Share a massage with your partner ? create a
relaxing atmosphere by softening the lights and have oils
and towels to hand. Lavender oil is particularly relaxing.
Or, treat yourself to a massage from a professional masseur
or masseuse. For a really invigorating massage, visit a
Turkish baths if you?re fortunate enough to have one
nearby. Massage is very relaxing and increases intimacy
between lovers. It?s one huge stress buster as well but be
warned, it?s addictive! Not a bad thing to be addicted to
though, and it will do you no end of good.
5. Spend a week without watching any television. Television
can fill your mind with negativity, bombard you with image
manipulation via commercials and give you a distorted view
of reality by showing you everything that?s bad about the
world. Famines, disasters, murders, violence, war ? the
list is endless ? and news programmes and soap operas are
full of such events. So give your mind a break from this
assault on your senses. Abandon the television for a week
and do something more rewarding instead: Read a book,
listen to music, socialize, workout, go for a walk or try
your hand at something new. If you need to hear the news,
listen to a radio news bulletin once a day. But try and
avoid them for one week, replace them with something more
life enhancing and see how you feel.
The above ideas are very simple to implement but they are
also very effective in helping to relieve stress and
tension. Give them a try and watch your mood levels rise!
Until next time.
----------------------------------------------------
Chris Green is the author of the new book ?Conquering
Stress?, a special program which will show you how to
conquer stressful illnesses such as depression, anxiety,
panic and worry permanently and without taking powerful
drugs. For more information, please click here ==>
http://www.conqueringstress.com
