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| Me: incredibly cool & good-looking due to my stress-busting skills! |
Some might say there's a "shift" going on: I would agree. Things feel different. One thing that is refreshingly different for me is the way in which I seem to be choosing to deal with life's challenges. I always say that the definition of insanity is waking up in the morning, doing the same thing, and expecting different results. Well, when it comes to parenthood, it's sometimes hard to practice constant restraint - of fiery emotions that is - and choose to do things differently: with patience and understanding. Not that I wasn't a patient and understanding parent before now, but it sometimes felt that my patience was non-existent for prolonged periods of time, and this is only the tip of the iceberg - Caleb's barely just over a year and a half! The awesome thing is that the things I've chosen to do differently are very slight, and yet incredibly effectual at keeping angry outbursts at bay.
So here's what I've been doing: breathing more deeply and mindfully more often, especially in response to what I commonly perceive to be stress-inducing events, and doing 15 minutes of guided meditation about 3-4 times a week. Frickin' easy and so impactful!
Here's an example of how awesome it's been working in my life: I hate whining. Hate it, hate it, HATE IT! Caleb's at a challenging age where he's on the brink of communicating verbally, but not quite there yet, so lots of whining happens. Often. I've started to take note of what my triggers are that entice a stress-response - anger and anxiety being my most common stress-responses that I notice right away. Of course, whining is a huge trigger. It's like nails on a chalkboard to me. So when Caleb starts to whine, instead of shouting at him, I take deep abdominal breaths. Perfect: I can focus through his choice to whine without blowing a wing nut.
Another great example: I've always had road rage. Lately I've been breathing deeply into my abdomen while I drive - awesome! No more road rage. I've been letting people in to lanes in front of me with pleasure and have noticed the reciprocal action of the universe in that respect: people are letting me in front of them equally as often. It definitely feels good.
What a difference I feel, going through my days with a sense of calm relaxation and acceptance of the world - just as it is - instead of being tense, angry, unreasonable and irrational. The meditation is where I've gotten the mantra: "I accept the world just as it is" from and damn, it works! Meditation always functions to give me a lasting sense of serene acceptance and optimism throughout my days. With this lasting sense of cool, I'm more productive at work and home, more organized and motivated, more sociable, articulate and direct in my communication and, my intuition is like a river: ever-flowing.
These two coping and self-care techniques are some of the more effective ones - FOR ME. Everyone has different estimations of what is stressful, and everyone copes differently with the stresses of their lives. If you are looking to cope better with the stress in YOUR life and very much like the sound of having a lasting sense of calm relaxation and acceptance of the world - just as it is, I strongly encourage you to join us for our Ultimate Stress Seminar, starting on Wednesday September 15th and running for 5 consecutive Wednesdays, from 6-7:30p.m. Within these sessions, we will help you discover YOUR triggers that activate a stress-reaction and find the best coping techniques for YOU. I very much look forward to seeing the calm and relaxed faces in the room and out on the streets of Edmonton once all is said and done.
Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic
