Well, here goes another blog entry! :) I've been spending the last couple of days preparing for the holiday season. I'm so excited about it. I've got a great deal for Breast Cancer Awareness next month! I have my holiday services, bundles, deals, etc. all lined out. I'm about foaming at the mouth to share this stuff with you guys (just kidding...no foaming, promise!). When it comes to Christmas time...seriously, ask anyone that knows me, my holiday spirit is a problem! Haha! But, for my clients this year, it's a good problem! :) Think candy canes, spiced apple, pumpkin, Christmas cookies, GREAT gift options, etc! HOWEVER, it is only September 14 (sigh), so I'm going to have to hold off on the holiday talk for a few more weeks! Don't want to be "that" girl! :) However, with the holidays quickly approaching, I figured it would be a good time to talk about stress and stress management! Hopefully this will give you the upper hand when the time comes and the hustle and bustle are pushing you to your limit! :)
"Stress" is a word that makes people cringe! Everyone has it, at SOME point. People giggle when they answer the first question on my intake form: "Do you suffer from stress?". And most of the time, the answer is an instant "YES"! Stress is a part of life, but how it's dealt with can make a huge difference in your quality of life. Personally, my family doesn't stop. We go and go and go. It can get stressful (if you don't believe me, you're welcome to chauffeur my oldest son to football games and baseball tournament in two different towns while working and taking care of a mischievous 1 1/2 year old, all in one weekend! Haha). I love my life AND my family AND my work, but without stress management you may see me wandering around muttering nonsense and looking as if I'd lost my mind (if you do see this, please intervene with a Diet Coke and some Chocolate! ;)) Of course, everybody will have their "I need to scream" moments...and that's natural! It's when it becomes a constant that it becomes a problem! And, learning how to deal with those moments is essential! As the Mayo Clinic put it: "In looking at the causes of stress, remember that your brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for your protection. When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones to fuel your capacity for a response. This has been labeled the "fight-or-flight" response. Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop stress of modern life means that your alarm system rarely shuts off. That's why stress management is so important. Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset your alarm system. Without stress management, all too often your body is always on high alert. Over time, high levels of stress lead to serious health problems. Don't wait until stress has a negative impact on your health, relationships or quality of life. Start practicing a range of stress management techniques today."
Easy enough, right?! :) Just manage your stress...that's it. For most, that is easier said (or written) than done. What if you have no idea how to do that? You're not the only one, I promise! Again, from the Mayo Clinic: "The first step in successful stress relief is deciding to make a change in how you manage stress. The next step is identifying your stress triggers. Some causes of stress are obvious — job pressures, relationship problems or financial difficulties. But daily hassles and demands, such as commuting, arranging day care or being overcommitted at work, can also contribute to your stress level. Positive events also can be stressful. If you got married, started a new job and bought a new house in the same year, you could have a high stress level. While negative events in general are more stressful, be sure to also assess positive changes in your life. Relaxation techniques are an essential part of stress management. If you're an overachiever, you may put relaxation low on your priority list. Don't shortchange yourself. There are active ways of achieving relaxation. Relaxation is invaluable for maintaining your health and well-being, and repairing the toll that stress takes on your mind and body."
So, how do you relax? If you're like so many others, your day needs a few more hours in it to begin with...no way you can take time from it to "relax", right? Wrong. Relaxing isn't lazy. It's not self-indulgent. It's not wasted time. Sometimes, it's simply NECESSARY!!! Find something that relaxes you and do it, even if it's only for 10-20 minutes a day. Get a monthly massage (Yes, 30 or 60 minute massages make a big difference). Take a walk or head to the gym (exercise boosts Endorphins...Endorphins make you happy - get it?). BREATHE! For goodness sake, just BREATHE! :) Doing some deep breathing while driving to work (in that terrible traffic! ugh.), sitting in line to pick up your child at school, in between phone calls at work or waiting at the doctor's office can make a big difference. Try to incorporate a few minutes deep breathing during different parts of your day! No matter what you choose, be consistent. Try to keep it up and make it a regular part of your routine!
The link below is something I found regarding Quick Stress Relief. It talks about your senses and how you can relieve stress and prevent stress overload by simply tapping into your senses! "The key to practicing quick stress relief is learning what kind of sensory input helps your particular nervous system find calm and focus quickly. Everyone responds to sensory input a little differently, so an awareness of your preferences is essential for reducing stress."
Okay, wow...that was long. But there is a lot of information out there about stress and stress management and I honestly LOVE sharing any information that I can find to help folks manage their stress and live each day a little better! Hope you are all having a great week! Until next time...
OOOOOHHH....WAIT, DON'T GO YET! I almost forgot the best part! Because I'm glad you're reading the blog, I'll give you the first heads up on a little surprise I'm starting next week! Anyone that comes in for a massage (valid for 30, 45 or 60 minute massages) from Monday, September 19th to Friday, September 30th will receive a super-special discount! I received my new 20 oz. promotional water bottles, see below, and I'm itching to give some away! When you come in for your massage, you'll pick a bottle (of course you get to take it home and enjoy the wonderfulness of it whenever you'd like! haha) and inside the bottle there will be a discount for you to use THAT DAY! :) The discount amounts will be: $5, $10, $15, $20, $25 & $30 off! If you get a 30 minute massage, it has potential to be free!!! Did you hear that? FREE. :) Now, I know what you're thinking...you're thinking i'm going to put a bunch of $5 cards in them and only one $30! Well, you're wrong! I can't believe you'd think that (but, I'd think it too, if we're being honest! HA! :) I love surprises and deals just as much, if not more, than the next person, so there will be a good amount of each for you to pick (just depends on how lucky you are)!
