Welcome to “Calm Your Nerves”. In this special series, I’ll be showing you simple things you can do to reduce stress and create ease in your life. Check back often as I will continue to add to the list.
WAnt to get the most out of the Calm Your Nerves tips? Then follow these simple guidelines:
1. Pay attention. Notice what you are doing, feeling, sensing, etc. Focus on YOU and not what you perceive to be right or wrong or even what you expect to happen. There is no judgement involved in any of these tips. Instead, they give you the opportunity to learn a bit about yourself and perhaps find ways to create ease in your life. Notice what you do, how you do it and what are your habitual patterns. Once you know, you have the choice to change. Knowledge truly is power.
2. Do less than you know you can do. As I often tell my clients – “Some is good, more is not necessarily better.” Stay within a range that is enjoyable and doable. There is nothing to be gained by biting off more than you can chew. A few movements done simply with attention will go further toward reducing tension than a regimented program.
3. Focus on Ease. Let yourself stay within a range of comfort and ease.
4. Pain and Struggle are Optional. To optimize your experience, stay within your comfort zone. If all you can do right now is a tiny movement within a tiny range, that is enough. The idea is to teach your nervous system that what you are asking it to do, i.e., calm down, is possible and pleasurable. If you force, push through pain, tighten and give it your all, you teach yourself to struggle. Remember – pain, not pleasure, is a four-letter word.
5. Do many repetitions. Light and easy does it.
6. Introduce Variety. It is the spice of life, you know. By trying one thing many ways you optimize your nervous system’s ability to find what works and what works well – for you.
7. Let go of Perfection. Trying to be perfect at anything (or everything) only creates more dis-ease. Let go of the notion that there is only one “right” way of doing anything and focus instead on what works for you, playfully and with ease.
8. Share. There is no better way to learn than to teach. Feel free to share these tips with family and friends. Have them sign up to receive the tips for themselves (I’ll be sending new tips in future mailings.) and then connect with each other about which tips work best for you. (After all, a social network is extremely good for creating a healthy, ease-filled life.)
9. Enjoy! Let yourself play with the ideas. Be creative and morph ideas to make them your own. Let me know what you discover.
As always, I welcome your input. Feel free to respond to the posts and let me know which tips work best for you.
Cheers,
Julie
Life Options 