Want more peace and calm in your life? We asked Aromatic Apothecary owner Doryce Sher, for holistic ways to beat the ‘rat race’. Here are her 15 easy ways you can de-stress your life:
1. Breathe
Take a deep breath in and sigh to release as you breathe out. Breathing like this as you find anxiety or stress building up and last thing at night will make you feel more relaxed. Use this technique in traffic of whilst standing in a queue to reduce tension.
2. Inhale aroma’s
When you need to shift how you feel choose appropriate aromatic oils to inhale. Use calming oils before going to sleep or when stressed. Use uplifting oils for the after – lunch slump or when feeling down. These mood altering aromas are non addictive and make you feel better.
3. Listen
So often we talk before someone has finished speaking, interrupting to make our point. In doing so we often don’t hear what another person is telling us. Practice listening instead of interrupting. It is often the people who say the least that are the ones most heard.
4. Be kind
From the minute you wake up each day, choose to be kind – kindness is giving way in the traffic, smiling when you’re in the lift, making someone’s day or moment a little easier.
5. Sleep
Quit scrolling through your phone or tablet before bed. Do not watch the news on TV and get those extra hours of sleep. People who sleep naturally and wake naturally feel better, function optimally and are happier people
6. Drink water
Water is essential to every chemical reaction in the body and if we do not have sufficient water in our system we dehydrate resulting in headaches and other ill feelings. Fizzy drinks are not water – only water is water!
7. Cut down
Rather than cut out, cut down slowly but surely. If you have started the year resolving to cut out sugar / sweetener / coffee / cigarettes etc, chances are you have already relapsed, given up or are wondering how you will make it to February. Success will be attained by slowly reducing whatever it is you want to give up and every month reduce a little more so that by this time next year you will be having much less of what it is that you want to give up.
8. Recycle
This could mean getting back on your bike to get to work or school or using things more than once. If everyone everyday bought one less plastic bag, chose to re-use bottles for water, turned kitchen waste into compost or found a way to reduce their waste by sorting, the whole planet would be a better place.
9. Massage
Introduce massage into everyday life. Give or receive a foot, hand or back massage using quality oils or creams and make it routine. The self-nurturing and non-verbal communication is very beneficial to body, mind and soul.
10. Be less angry
We live in such an angry society and it snowballs. Chose to talk softly and kindly rather than shouting if someone antagonizes you. Be nice to telesales people – they are your simply people trying to do an honest job. Be kind to your spouse or partner. It is often our closest family and friends who get the brunt of our anger.
11. De-clutter
Everyday throw or give away one thing that has been lying around for months. Do not hang on to things “just in case”. Chances are you will never notice or miss those things.
12. Simplify
Make dinner with food that is in the cupboard or fridge instead of stressing with another supermarket visit when you are feeling tired. Sometimes cereal or eggs for supper and an early night simplifies life. You do not always have to do everything. Weigh up the stress factor in trying to juggle all the balls. And know that you are allowed to drop a few. The question to ask is “Will this matter tomorrow / next week / ever?”
13. Call your mom, dad, gran, aunt
People who live alone or who take care of everyone and work hard at keeping everyone happy sometimes just need a call from a loved one to say “How are you?” Reach out to someone that would appreciate it – both of you will feel better.
14. Love
Every action or emotion stems from fear or love. Choose the love action or response and watch how your life heals. Love and appreciate yourself and those close to you.
15. Pray or meditate
A few minutes in prayer or meditation every day works wonders for your mental health. Write notes in a personal diary, and reflect on whatever crosses your mind. This time alone puts you in touch with whatever universal life force you believe in. Have faith and trust. “All is well in my world” is a powerful mantra – repeat it often until you believe it.
Doryce Sher is a registered pharmacist, aromatherapist and reflexologist.
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