Dear Justin:   I seem to always get stressed throughout the day and at work.   What are some good ways that I can relieve my stress?  Thanks- Bobby

Dear Bobby:
   High stress is common these days with our hectic schedules.    You would have thought that this age of advanced technology would make our lives easier overall.   In some ways it has, but in another way our lives have gotten tougher with very demanding schedules, and people find life very hard to live today in America.    There is increasing evidence that stress can lead to emotional breakdown and disorders- including depression and anxiety- and has even been called the “silent killer.”    With this said, besides the obvious reccomendation to try and take as much unnecessary things off your plate as possible, here are 5 things that you can implement into your everyday life to relieve stress.   

1) Learn to meditate!  

        - There are many forms of and purposes of meditation and stress relief is foremost.   If you are not already meditating, make an effort to learn how, and add it to your daily routine.  Sitting quietly for 20 minutes a day can do wonders for our bodies, minds, and spirits.  It has been said that 30 minutes of deep meditation is equal to about 2 hours of sleep!    Meditation can also help us get in touch with and release negative and self-defeating thought patterns.   It also improves our neurological function and causes our brains to release endorphins, which improve and uplift our moods.   Make your meditation spot a private sanctuary and make sure that your family knows that this is your private time.   Some suggestions:  Close your eyes and envision gentle images such as a beautiful beach or something else that comes to mind.   If you are a spiritually concious person, you can incorporate prayer into your meditation sessions and commune with God, or whatever  name you give to the Source of our being.  Meditation nurtures us at the deepest levels.   Spiritual author and lecturer Marianne Williamson puts it best when she says that “Meditation is like going to the Divine Physician’s office.”   Here is a beginner’s meditation that you can use if you need one:

       Sit in a comfortable position.  Close your eyes, hands in your lap, palms facing up.   Inhale for a count of 7, counting 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 to yourself.  As you do, see yourself breathing in stress relief and positive thoughts from the Universe.  As you exhale use the same 7 count and breathe out stress, negativity, and danger.  Then slowly tell your body to relax, starting with your feet.  Say: “I relax my feet”; “I relax my calves”; - move your way up your body, all the way to your forehead.   Sit for at least 20 minutes.  and try and do this once a day.

2)  Exercise

      You should try and exercise most days of the week.

3)   Get out of your environment.

4)   Journal 

      Try and journal about your fears, because stress is always a symptom of fear.

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