Tag Archives: stress relief

6 Reasons to Garden Your Anxiety Away

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“There is an unspoken communication between you and the natural kingdom.”

Lockdown Blues

Yep, we’ve probably all experienced the Groundhog Day phenomenon at some point this year. What comes with boredom, isolation, worry and stress is a copious amount of anxiety, right?

I’ve had my ups and downs during the whole COVID-19 experience.

What kept me sane was (and is) my garden.

Relief is Green

I can’t express enough how therapeutic being in the garden is. If you don’t have a garden, being in a park or in a forest or trail will boost those positive endorphins just as much.

Get out as often as you can.

Gardening Aprons $20

Here’s why:

  1. Fresh air — especially mask-free fresh air. Go somewhere where you can safely breathe as nature intended (preferably where there are lots of oxygen making trees). Oxygen livens the cells in your body, giving you a vital boost.
  2. Exercise — whether you’re gardening or walking in nature, you’re getting the blood flowing. Extremely important for combating depression or a growing couch-potato waistline! Healthy exercise also distracts you from cravings or snacking through boredom.
  3. Well-Being — Communing with nature gives you a much greater sense of aliveness, grounding and vitality. If I’ve been chugging away behind a computer screen for a couple of hours and I go out into my garden for some respite, it only takes a couple of minutes before I feel my stress melting away. If you are working, make sure to take your lunch hour outdoors, even if you sit under a tree for 15 minutes.
  4. Connectivity — when you garden and get your hands in the dirt, you are connecting with the earth, she feels you. There is an unspoken communication between you and the natural kingdom. I talk to the insects, the birds and my plants. You may think I’m crazy but it feels good to me and I feel connected to everything when I’m out there with grit underneath my fingernails. If you don’t have a garden, start a patio garden. If you don’t have a patio, start a windowsill garden. To grow is to believe in the future.
  5. Problem Solving — I often find that when I’m in my garden, solutions arrive as quick as you can blink. Whenever I feel challenged about something, I turn to my garden, or a walk in the countryside. There’s nothing better to clear your mind and let in all the helpful ideas.
  6. Inspiration — then there’s the motivational factor. I don’t have enough hours in the day to get out all the creativity I glean from being outdoors. There is a wealth of ingenuity out there to be plucked from the ether.

Speaking of which, it was a couple of months ago — when I was navel gazing and felt at a loss as to where my career was heading — that I stumbled upon the idea to get designing. Now, for those of you who don’t know me, I’m primarily a paint and canvas type of artist. I’ve not delved into the world of design fully and whole-heartedly, not yet anyway.

I felt now was my chance.

My Little Karoo Garden

My inspiration? You guessed it! My garden.

I’ve been having a ball walking through my garden, getting inspirations for designs. So much so that I even opened a store of my own, especially dedicated to my life in the garden. I’ve called it “My Little Karoo Garden“. It’s got a real ‘African’ edge to it 🙂 Dung beetles et al!

I hope this bloggy blurb has inspired you to get outdoors more often and to even get planting! Gardeners always have something to look forward to. I’d really like to hear your gardening stories — how does being in nature inspire you?

If you want to take a stroll through my store, click the logo to your right 🙂 I’d love to know what you think. It’s still in the beta stage but I’ll be adding new designs as they flow in.

Don’t forget to hit the follow button in the sidebar!

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5 Easy Steps to Meditating (No Lotus Position Required)

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Why Do You Need to Meditate?

The most important reason why people have been practicing meditation since time immemorial is that it swiftly brings you into alignment with your core being.  This is where you will find balance and true peace.

In our modern-day culture, however, meditation is most commonly practiced to alleviate stress.

Both reasons are as good as any to start practicing this amazing art that is meditation.  If you do already meditate — good on you.  If you are thinking about it — now is the time!

What Exactly is Meditation?

Let’s cut past any preconceived notions about meditation.  It does not require that you:

  • Sit in any position that you find uncomfortable
  • Need to chant or repeat a mantra
  • Need training or classes
  • Need to belong to a specific religion or faith

These things are optional and entirely up to the individual.  The most important thing about meditation is…The art of being still and quieting your mind

How to meditate

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It is the ability to bridge the gap between the thinker and the thought-less.  You are offering your self a chance to still the mind-chatter (you know, that continuous loop of ‘what ifs‘ and ‘don’t mind if I do’s’).  I like to refer to this is mind-static — just like the white noise you see on a TV screen when there is a disturbance with the reception.  Our minds can be on a continuous buzz, enough to drive us to the brink of insanity.

This is where meditation will help you to de-clutter your thought processes and align you to your higher purpose through contact with your higher self.

Okay, Sounds Good but How do I go About This?

Simple.  All you need to do is:

  • Concentrate on your breath — this easy step allows you to be more present and centered in your body. It also diverts your attention from thinking to breathing.  If you like, use a mantra — this is a common tool used to stop any unwanted thoughts from creeping in.
  • Close your eyes and relax your body — Feel and imagine the stress draining away as you begin to let your vitality blossom.
  • Feel the tingle — acknowledge the prana or life force that is embodied in every single cell. This is sometimes felt as a tingling sensation in the body. Starting from your feet upwards, expand on that tingling sensation. This amplifies the life-force in your body. Notice how you feel when you do this. Are you feeling alive and vibrant? Are you relaxed and peaceful?
  • Opening your crown chakra — breathe in and imagine a white light streaming in through the top of your head (crown chakra) and permeating your entire body.
  • Relax — the above are only steps to get you into the present moment. When you feel relaxed and peaceful, just be with that feeling for as long as you can. You are now meditating!

Meditation quoteYou can start with just 5 minutes of still, quiet breathing a day and then gradually work your way up to 10-20 minutes at a time.

You do not have to stick to any method to get you to your place of inner peace, just do what works for you. The main point of meditation is to relax and take a break from the constant mind-chatter.

Try to practice this at least 1-2 times a day.

What are the Benefits?

  • Meditation gives you the space to relax your body and to recoup your mind
  • It is proven to reduce stress
  • It is a gateway to discovering your authentic self

And remember:

“Thoughts create everything ~ have clarity of thought and you can achieve anything…”

This was a guest article written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Lightworkers World 

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6 Ways to Alleviate Stress Now

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Mapping your way out of stress

We seem to be living in tumultuous times.  If you don’t take a moment out of the ‘rat race’ it can consume you.

If you feel like you are running around on a hamster wheel or wonder when the light is going to be seen at the end of this future tunnel — then please read on…

Practical steps to take:

You cannot be fully productive if you are running on empty.  There are a few things you can do immediately that will relieve you of any immediate pressure.

  • Breathe
  • Drink lots of water
  • Fresh air
  • Exercise/stretch
  • Write out a plan or strategy
  • Take frequent small breaks

Now, let’s take a closer look…

Breathe

It is very important to breathe correctly.  Most of us do what is called ‘shallow’ breathing. When you breathe properly, you are breathing into your diaphragm and better still, to really oxygenate your body (which will make you feel more awake and alive) — take a deep breath into your stomach.  Let your stomach fill up so that you look like you are pregnant. Whilst you are breathing in — count to 5.  Hold it for 5 and then release it to the count of 5. Do this 3 times.  If you can do this every hour it can help immensely to keep you awake and in tune with your self.Here is some more information with regards to breathwork:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breathwork

Water

Drink lots of pure, clean water.  This will flush out unwanted toxins in your body and keep you flowing.  You will be able to have more clarity of thought and the health benefits of drinking water are too numerous to go into.  Suffice to say that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain in doing this.Too much coffee intake can do more harm than good, so instead of reaching for the java juice — have a glass of water.

Fresh Air

Breathe

We were not meant to be crammed in doors all day, especially if you work in a shop or office.  Go outside, when you can, even if it is for a minute or two and do the breathing exercise.

Even better, whenever you can, take a stroll in a forest or on the beach (if you don’t have access to any of those — go find yourself a tree to sit under).  It does wonders for the body and mind.

Exercise and Stretching

I know those of you who are most stressed probably feel you don’t have time for this step. But even if it is for a couple of minutes — something is better than nothing.

Get up and stretch — if you know a few yoga stretch moves then do that.  If you feel too embarrassed to do it in front of your colleagues then go to the bathroom and stretch.

Stretching releases built up energy and allows it to flow through your body in a balanced way instead of accumulating and being stagnant.  You will feel brighter and more alive.

You should take at least 30 minutes of daily exercise.  Go for a walk on your lunch break. You need to plan for exercise, especially for those of you on a strict schedule.  If you plan for it, you will allow it to happen.  There is always time for something important.

Strategies

If you are stressed out, the likelihood is that you have far too much on your mind.  One of the best techniques for de-cluttering the internal mind chatter is to get it out of your head and onto a whiteboard or diary/notebook.

This way you can see what needs to be done.  You can prioritize it and then  you can start to implement it.  When you do this, it will give you a sense of relief because you will not be stressing over things that you might have forgotten.  All you need to do is consult the board or notebook and then tick it off once it is done.

This really helps to keep your sanity and a clear vision of what needs to be done and in what order of importance.  You will truly start to see the light at the end of the tunnel if you do this.

Breaks

TelephoneYou were never meant to be glued to a computer screen or meant to be shut up in any environment, so, when you can — get up and take a break.  Go walk around the office or walk to the water cooler (don’t forget to have a cup!) and back.

Even little breaks can mean greater success.  They can lessen your chance of developing migraines and headaches and they can lessen your stress when you take a break from a problem.

Sometimes even taking a break can allow you time and space to sort out a problem that you would not have done if you were never removed from it.

Life is for living not stressing

Finally, I would like to end off by saying — life is for living and not stressing out.   What can be done — do.  What can’t be done should not be stressed over.  Worry never solved a problem but clear thinking and planning has.  Shelve the worry and create a space for solution by following the above steps.

Please share with us any tips and tricks you have learnt or discovered about relieving stress.

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Serenity…Your Passport to Peace

5 Easy Steps to Meditating (No Lotus Position Required)