The Daily Mind

Daily Steps To Mindful Living

reduce stress

How Blogging Can Help Reduce Stress and Improve Wellbeing

Documenting your thoughts is no longer limited to journals and diaries, there are so many ways to go online. Creative and expressive writing provide a number of benefits that help to relieve stress and alleviate negative emotions. While journaling and diarizing thoughts is a wonderful personal experience, blogging has the added advantage of allowing writers to place their thoughts online, where they might be read by others. [Read more…] about How Blogging Can Help Reduce Stress and Improve Wellbeing

Originally posted on September 20, 2016 @ 6:09 am

5 Daily Rituals to Reduce Stress and Maximize Happiness

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. [Read more…] about 5 Daily Rituals to Reduce Stress and Maximize Happiness

Originally posted on May 12, 2016 @ 6:02 am

How to Stop Stressing Out When You Know You’ll Be Stressing Out

“There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”

(This quote is from FDR’s first inaugural address.)

Likewise, there is nothing to stress out about but stress itself. I think that’s a valid argument, isn’t it?

There are certain things that we fear, don’t like, or worry about. By default, when we know that we are going to face those things, we stress out beforehand. [Read more…] about How to Stop Stressing Out When You Know You’ll Be Stressing Out

Originally posted on February 11, 2016 @ 8:30 am

Reduce Stress by Actually Reducing Your Debt

Growing up, I saw how my parents and relatives dealt with money. Some were rather responsible, making sure they had savings and investments, the latter being the ones with more disposable income than others. Most, however, seemed to be living in debt.

No matter how big or small, there always seemed to be debt of some kind. Credit cards were not a thing back then, but loans from co-ops, loans from the bank, and similar setups were very common. I promised myself that when I grew up, I would never live in debt.

So much for that promise.

Today, just like many people around the world, I find myself stressing out because of finances. A huge chunk of my earnings go to paying off credit card bills and medical loans. [Read more…] about Reduce Stress by Actually Reducing Your Debt

Originally posted on September 23, 2014 @ 9:00 am

The importance of proper breathing

Most of us don’t give a second thought to the way we breathe – it’s just something that we do subconsciously. And yet proper breathing is essential to good health and wellbeing. Poor breathing can cause us to feel fatigued, reduces alertness and can increase feelings of anxiety. However, breathing correctly can help to reduce stress and anxiety, improve our ability to exercise and can even help to boost our immunity.

By breathing properly we are giving our brain and other vital organs the right amount of oxygen and essential nutrients they need to function optimally. However, things such as stress, anxiety and poor posture can change the way in which we breathe.
[Read more…] about The importance of proper breathing

Originally posted on January 27, 2013 @ 10:22 pm

How to fight your fears

Most people experience fear or anxiety in some form or other and stress and worry are very much on the increase during these uncertain times. More and more people are turning to antidepressants or other prescription drugs in order to cope with stress and anxiety. For this blog post I thought I’d take a look at some holistic self-help techniques to help you banish your fears the natural way.

The quick anxiety stopper
The quick anxiety stopper is a useful technique I learnt from an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner. EFT works by tapping specific energy points on the body whilst mentally or verbally tuning into the problem you want to address. The idea is that disturbances in the energy flow are removed, along with the emotional response and anxiety. The quick anxiety stopper involves tapping on three specific energy points. Start by tapping gently with one hand under your eye, then under your arm with a flat hand in line where a bra strap would lie, then with a flat hand tapping the side of the upper chest just under the collarbone. After tapping these points for a few seconds, take a deep breath and then exhale. Repeat the sequence until you feel less anxious.

The calming breath
Changing the way we breathe can change the way we feel. Each inhalation is linked to the body’s fight or flight response whereas each exhalation is linked to the relaxation response. When we are stressed and panicked our inhalations become more dominant, which is why we need to focus more on the exhalations in order to reverse this.

Try the following breathing technique next time you feel anxious. Breathe in for a count of five and breathe out for a count of five. Try to keep to this steady rhythm for a few rounds of your breathing. Then, start extending the exhalation by holding the breath out for a count of two after you have emptied your lungs. Repeat this several times and you will begin to find your relaxation response taking over. It takes a bit of practice and concentration but, believe me, you will notice the calming effects.

Flower power
Bach flower remedies are made from natural flower essences and can help with a range of emotions related to fear. The essences are simple to take – just put two drops in a glass of water and sip throughout the day. Here are some specific essences for fear and anxiety:

Rock rose can help when are experiencing terror or fright and you feel unable to move or think clearly.

Mimulus helps when you feel fearful of something you can name, such as spiders, illness, losing your job etc. It’s also helpful when you feel shy or nervous of telling others how you feel.

Aspen can help when you feel anxious or fearful but you can’t exactly say what you are afraid of.

Use your imagination
Visualisation techniques can really help to beat anxiety and fear. Try this simple technique next time you feel an anxious episode coming on. Close your eyes and imagine that you are in a relaxing place, such as a tropical island, a beach or the top of a mountain. Imagine sitting or lying there and concentrate on how you feel, what it looks and sounds like. Really focus on the details to make the scene as vivid and realistic as possible in your mind. Allow your senses to take you into a state of complete calm. Remain in this place until you feel that your breathing is much calmer and your mind is more settled. You should find that your fears have evaporated and you are more able to face the rest of your day.

About the author: Liz Parry is a writer specialising in holistic health and wellbeing, personal development and spirituality.

Originally posted on April 24, 2012 @ 4:41 pm