Stress is a normal aspect of the daily grind. A tough workload, relationship problems, money problems; stress is always just around the corner.
Fortunately, there are also countless ways to reduce stress and develop a more positive outlook. This involves shifting your focus away from the daily stressors and into the bits of happiness that often go unnoticed.
Remember that just like stress, there are always things around that must be celebrated, cherished, and be happy about. We only need to have the right attitude and the commitment to seek opportunities to be joyful.
Here are five daily rituals that can help you bust stress, celebrate life, and be absolutely happy:
Rise Early
The best way to have a meaningful day is to start it right. By waking up late every single day, you are missing out on the beauty of every morning. This is usually the case if a person sees mornings merely as starts to stressful days.
Today, a lot of people simply rushes through every morning and overlook the fact that every morning is a blessing. You only need to give yourself more time to appreciate it.
This is why you need to rise early, put on some relaxing music, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and breathe in the cool morning air. Start the day with clarity and specify the goals you want to accomplish by the end of the day. List them down as you will need them later (for the last ritual).
1-Minute Breathing Exercise
This particular ritual can be done at any point of the day. All you have to do is to stop whatever you’re doing, close your eyes, and focus on slowing down your breathing. Breathe deeply and let your mind receive whatever thoughts that may come up. Acceptance is the key, so you should avoid associating any strong feelings with every mental image.
Keep in mind that this is a simplified breathing exercise derived from meditative practices that can relieve stress and clear the mind. It is a great tool to have in times of great stress – mentally and emotionally. You can refer to this article from TIME’s website to learn more comprehensive breathing exercises.
Give Back
Giving back and sharing the joy of others is a great opportunity to reduce stress and improve your happiness. However, it is not really a popular practice, particularly to busy people who value their personal time, effort, and money too much.
The truth is that the satisfaction you will feel by giving back is unlike anything you will ever experience. It allows you to invest something that will always be worth more than money – gratitude. Of course, it is also a good way to build better relationships at work, at home, and in any other community.
When it comes to giving back, you can go big or small. You can lend a hand to a friend, allow someone to cut you in a long line, or donate to charity. If you don’t know how to get started, you can take a look at the charities that organisations like Eugene Chrinian supports or look up donation websites online.
Evening Walks
Walking is good for your body, mind, and soul. It is a sustainable cardio exercise that can help keep you physically and mentally healthy. Furthermore, walking at nights improves creativity and concentration as it keeps your mind off of things as you engage in a light physical activity.
A great way to incorporate walking in your daily routine is to walk home from work. Of course, you should only consider this if your home is within safe walking distance. Alternatively, you can practice brisk walking for 15-30 minutes during evenings to shave off some stress and prepare your body for sleep.
Reward Yourself
A great way to wrap up your day is to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. But in order to maximise fulfilment, make sure that you reward yourself only upon accomplishing everything you need to do.
Take a look at your list of daily goals (from the first ritual) and be sure you’ve done everything.
Rewarding yourself comes in all shapes and sizes. You can indulge yourself with food, spend time with your family, play your favourite game, or watch your favourite show. Just remember that you should avoid anything work or stress-related as you enjoy your reward. For this, you should dedicate at least one hour every day.
Wrapping Up
For a lot of people, dwelling in stress has become a part of their daily lifestyle. Remember that this does nothing more than exacerbate it and prevent you from adopting a more positive outlook. With the daily practices above, you can slow things down, clear your mind, and refocus on the good things. If you remain consistent, they will form into powerful habits that can reduce your stress and help you lead a meaningful and fulfilling life.
5 ways to turn your stress into success
Originally posted on May 12, 2016 @ 6:02 am
