Yikes, it’s almost Labor Day! I have to admit, I’m a bit bummed that summer is coming to a close. It’s my favorite season and I never want it end. However, we do get spectacular early fall weather here in Santa Cruz (don’t tell anyone!) so I’m sure I can extend my summertime activities a bit longer.
My latest goal is to finally get a wetsuit (okay, I’ve had this goal since I moved here 5 years ago), so I can go play around in the cold, Northern California ocean – I mean, being on the beach is great, but I want to play in the water! And now is the time to do it. Carpe diem, right?
My neighborhood beach. Pleasure Point Surfer www.SylviaValentine.com
Hope your summer has been relaxing and rewarding. Hopefully you’re not too overwhelmed with a huge back-to-school or back-to-work “to-do” list or feeling like you need a vacation to recover from your vacation.
If you’re starting to ramp up again and stress is taking hold, read on…
Your Modern Day Medicine Woman’s 10 Fast & Free (mostly) Recommendations to De-Stress and Feel Better Now:
1. Take a shower. Say “clear” as you stand under the water, visualizing yourself in a column of clear light that washes away anything you no longer need.
2. Eat something. Don’t overeat, mind you, just eat regularly to keep your blood sugar and your mood stable.
3. Walk around the block. You know exercise helps but you’re busy. Just go around the block then – it’ll help.
4. Put your feet on the earth – barefoot if possible and let the stress and worry just drain off down into the earth to be recycled. Aaaaahhhh.
5. Take a salt bath – add a cup of Epsom salt and soak for up to 20 minutes, letting the magnesium relax your tight muscles and drain your stress away.
6. Hug your dog, kid, tree, friend or neighbor. Or your neighbor’s tree. Nice, huh?
7. Get an acupuncture treatment. *My favorite to de-stress. Super effective, and even more so when done regularly.
8. Sniff an essential oil – peppermint is a great one to relax the overloaded nervous system.
9. Smudge yourself with sage. Clears the accumulated emotional debris that can bring you down and exhaust you.
10. Close your eyes and breathe deeply 10 times. Don’t you feel better now?
(Bonus #11. The homeopathic spray “Rescue Remedy” is great too – for stress, anxiety, trauma, overwhelm, etc. Any health food store will have it.)
Notice that these recommendations are all physical. They require you to use your body, which is actually what relaxes you and gets you “back into” your body, so to speak, instead of being dispersed out all over the place worrying about this, that, and the other thing.
They engage your senses, your physicality – you’re not just a big brain on a stick – your body needs attention too! Find your body again and you’ll instantly feel better, emotionally and physically, and then you can tackle the rest of your to-do list (if you have to).
Speak Your Mind