A simple Visualization Exercise. Whenever You are in a Stressful Situation
This is Simple Visualization Exercise that will enable you to relax deeply. It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to do.But Once you've practiced it a few times . you can call on it instantly when ever you are in a stress full situation ,before things get out of control.Sit in a chair. if it's comfortable for you ,keep your back straight .Breath in through your nose to a count of four .Breath out through your Mouth to a count of eight .If you have some privacy,say "huh,huh,huh" at the end of the exhalation . Repeat the breath four time .
Close your eye . tighten the muscles .in your feet and then relax .Concentrate on feeling the muscles relax . Repeat .tighten the muscles in your Calves ,Relax, Feel the relaxation .and repeat Do the same with the muscles in your thighs , then with your buttocks stomach and lower back,Than with your chest ,then your upper back ,then your shoulders ,than arms ,than hand,then neck Make a face ,scrunching up your facial muscles ,relax and repeat.
Think of peaceful setting .It can be a beach or forest or anything .The impotent things is that it be someplace that you have been where you felt Relaxed and happy and just all around good .Remember what the place looked like.Picture the details in your mind . then Remember the Sounds that you heard . Next add in the smells. Then your sense of touch ... What do feel on Your Skin ..!Finally, add in the test . let all your senses work as you Re experience This place where you felt great .
Stay in this place in your mind for about 5 minutes , experiencing it as vividly as you can with all of your senses
When you are ready , open your eyes . stand up lift your arms over your head and stretch .Drop your arms Shake them out
At this point ,think about how you now know how to relax . It is Skill...learned skill ... and its now in your repertoire of coping behaviors .The more you this practice, the more Skillful you will become.
Then, the next time you are feel angry or frustrated or upset ,this is what you can do.first be aware of what is going on with your body . Do you feel muscle tension ? If so where ? Is your breathing different from the way it usually is ?Is your heart beating faster ?Do you fell other changes in your body ?Fell this physical symptoms that signal that you are under stress .
Stress is the body's natural response to danger .it floods the body with chemicals that prepare it to fight or flee .this very helpful in the ancient days when a danger might be something like a wild animal that you would need to fight or run away from .But nowadays ,many of the dangers that create Stress are attack not on our physical bodies but on our sense of self esteem neither fighting nor running are helpful with that ,but still the body create fight.. or.. flight chemical, and now these chemical interfere with your ability to cope.They can build up to such great degree that they flood your system and keep you from thinking rationally.
So what you do ,when you realize that you have the symptoms of being under stress , is to take a few deep breath and recall the peaceful place that you experienced in the relaxation exercise .picture it again,vividly , in your mind . this will help your body cut down on the flow of stress chemicals before you become so flooded with them that you can't think straight
Think of this as an emergency measure that will help you cope in a moment of crises .Later when you are no longer upset and when you have some time , think about what caused you to feel stressed out . In every stressful situation ,you are being "attacked"In some way ,but it isn't always immediately obvious what the attack is . So try and think it through .Many stress causing "Attacks"are things that threaten your self image ,so that's a good place to start .
Another thing that's helpful to keep in mind as you do this introspection is that what you are reacting to,when you are stressed, is not the outside ..Danger..itself--it's your Perception .Of that" Danger "that triggers the stress reaction .You can examine your perception and see if you find them realistic or not .
Finally, if you are experiencing a great deal , perhaps an overwhelming amount of stress in your life,that's often a sign that you may need to reassess your direction ,think about the big picture .if you discover what it is in life that you really want to be moving toward,and than move in that direction, you may find that while you are not rid off stress completely .....it's neither possible nor desirable to be ...completely .. free of stress ..your stress levels will drop to manageable level.And that's a very good things .
