It’s a windy day in south Texas. It feels good. The air is clean. A light spring jacket is all I need for the morning. I can shed the jacket this afternoon. I like to stand facing the wind. I close my eyes and visualize myself being cleansed of any stress that accumulated in me. In a few minutes I feel as if I’ve taken an emotional shower. I feel great. Try it the next time you have a windy day.
Stress and Anxiety
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Do You Know The Importance of Human Touch?
Human Physical Touch Relieves Stress and Loneliness
Human touch may have a calming effect and help you better cope with stress. For example, studies show that positive physical contact and sex may help relieve stress and loneliness. These types of contact may help release oxytocin and lower cortisol. In turn, these effects help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Both high blood pressure and increased heart rate are physical symptoms of stress.
NOTE: Give those you love a great daily vitamin: A warm hug. Those you love and you will feel better.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Don’t Stress Over Things You Can’t Control
You Can Choose to Let It Slide
There are always going to be people elected into office whom you don’t like, taxes that you don’t want to pay, idiot drivers who refuse to move out of the left-hand lane, and a person ahead of you in the check-out line who won’t stop chatting with the clerk. The great benefit of being human is that we get to experience all of what life offers us, the good, the bad, and the ugly. To live stress-free is to learn to deal with this fact.
Dwelling on your frustration with a situation, person, place, or thing that can’t be changed doesn’t do anything other than drag you down. You can choose how to respond to negative situations. Choose to be happy and not angry or frustrated.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ You’ll Feel Better if You Get in Touch with Your Body & Feelings
Stop Living Only in the Past and the Future, Get Present in the Moment
Being present in the moment involves being in your body and feeling your feelings—two things that lots of folks actually don’t know how to do.
Ask yourself these two questions: What does fear feel like in your body? What are you afraid of?
If you don’t know the answer to these questions, you probably aren’t present in the moment. Being present involves vulnerability, humility, and openness.
Being in the past or the future involves living in your head and ignoring what’s going on in your body and emotions.
The past and the future stop being so relevant and intriguing when you’re able to get in your body and feel your feelings. When you can do these two things, you actually want to be in the present moment. Try these tips: How to Live in the Moment and Stop Worrying.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Stop Overanalyzing Situations that Haven’t Happened
There is a Better Way to Live
The first step to living a stress-free life is to stop overanalyzing imaginary scenarios. It’s easy to spend time in the world of worst-case scenarios. People tend to cultivate this world for one of two reasons. First, because if you know what the worst-case scenario is, then it won’t surprise you when it happens. Second, if you know what the worst-case scenario is, then you can do everything in your power to control the universe so the worst case never happens. If that’s really the world you want to cultivate, then become a professional risk assessor. If not, then ask yourself how you are benefiting from continuing to live that way.
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- Does it make you feel better about yourself and your life?
- Does it make you want to leap out of bed in the morning eager to embrace the worst-case scenario?
- Does it bring you joy or fulfillment?
If your answer to these three questions is no, then stop it!
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Is It Time to Declutter?
Let Go of What Isn’t Essential
Decluttering sounds like a big project, but setting aside just 20 minutes a week can have a big impact. What can you do in 20 minutes? Lots. Set a timer on your phone and take 15 minutes to tidy up a specific area of one room — say, your closet or that out-of-control junk drawer. Put everything in its place and toss or give away any extra clutter that’s not serving you anymore. Keep a designated box for giveaways to make things a little easier (and avoid creating more clutter).Use the remaining 5 minutes to do a quick walk through your living space, putting away whatever stray items end up in your path. You can do this trick once a week, once a day, or anytime you feel like your space is getting out of control.
Note: Decluttering around your office, home, or apartment will help you to feel better. Think about decluttering your mind. Let go of other people’s business. Let go of things you can’t change. Let go of anger and resentments. You’ll add ten years to your life.
Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Face It!
Face Life’s Stressors Head On
Life is full of stressors, and it’s impossible to avoid all of them. There’s no need to. Stress isn’t always harmful, and we can even change our attitudes about stress. For those stressors you can’t avoid, remind yourself that everyone has stress — there’s no reason to think it’s all on you. And chances are, you’re stronger than you might think you are. Instead of letting yourself get overwhelmed, try to address the stressor head-on. This might mean initiating an uncomfortable conversation or putting in some extra work, but the sooner you confront it, the sooner the pit in your stomach may start to shrink.
Note: Oftentimes when we face a stressful situation part of our stress comes from within. We set a fixed outcome in our mind as the only possible good outcome. When we become fixated on a single outcome, we lose the opportunity to see other, and often better outcomes. Stay open to different, yet viable outcomes, as you confront any stressful situation.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Recognize the Unhappy Moments
What To Do When a Low Period Hits You
A positive attitude is generally a good thing, but bad things happen to everyone. It’s just part of life. If you get some bad news, make a mistake, or just feel like you’re in a funk, don’t try to pretend you’re happy. Acknowledge the feeling of unhappiness, letting yourself experience it for a moment. Then shift your focus toward what made you feel this way and what it might take to recover.Would a deep breathing exercise help? A long walk outside? Talking it over with someone? Let the moment pass and take care of yourself. Remember, no one’s happy all the time.
NOTE: I seldom have down periods, but I do get knocked down time and again. When it happens I talk to my emotions. I tell them to enjoy their visit but not to let the door hit them in the ass when they leave. I’ll also visualize the ocean tide. It helps me realize the emotional storm I’m struggling with will leave.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Breathe the Tension Away
Loosen up Your Tight Shoulders and Clinched Jaw
You’re tense, your shoulders are tight, and you feel as though you just might “lose it.” We all know that feeling.
Instinct may tell you to take a long, deep breath to calm yourself down. Turns out, that instinct is a good one. Research supports the fact that slow breathing and deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress.
The next time you feel stressed or are at your wit’s end, work through these steps:
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- Close your eyes. Try to envision a happy memory or beautiful place.
- Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose.
- Slowly breathe out through your mouth or nose.
- Repeat this process several times until you start to feel yourself calm down.
If you’re having a hard time taking slow, deliberate breaths, try counting to 5 in your head with each inhale and exhale.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ 5 Reasons Smiling is Good for You
Smiling is Good for you Physically and Mentally.
Here are 5 of the benefits of smiling:
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- Reduces stress: Smiling helps to reduce the level of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body. This can help you feel more relaxed and calm.
- Boosts your mood: When you smile, your brain releases endorphins, which are natural feel-good chemicals. This can help improve your mood and make you feel happier.
- Strengthens your immune system: Smiling has been shown to increase the production of white blood cells, which can help strengthen your immune system and protect you from illness.
- Lowers blood pressure: Smiling can also help to lower your blood pressure, which is good for your overall health.
- Improves social interactions: When you smile, you appear more approachable and friendly, which can help improve your social interactions and relationships.
Overall, smiling has many benefits for both your physical and mental health, so try to smile more often!
