1. Breathe deeply
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Deep breathing triggers a relaxation response that lowers heart rate and helps regulate the body
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2. Envision a place that brings you peace
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Peaceful images involve all the senses and create inner harmony
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3. Make contact with nature
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We can only be in the present moment when we focus on beauty around us – no past or future – only The Now
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4. Journal about what you’re feeling or thinking
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Surrendering the energy of troubling emotions or confusing thoughts to paper is freeing
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5. Listen to a song that makes you feel happy
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Music, as sound, is rooted in vibration which powerfully affects mood
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6. Take a nap
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A power nap will boost your memory, thinking, creativity, and energy levels
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7. Stretch your body
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Stretching lowers tension and stress and increases energy
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8. Drink a glass of water
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Stress is often made worse by dehydration – something we’re not often aware of
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9. Walk/exercise
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The brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters are elevated; sleep is enhanced & stress reduced
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10. Talk to your pet
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Just being around a loving animal is shown to decrease stress by lowering blood pressure
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Download this list to keep handy or to print.
Sharon Coulter MA, PPS; MA, LMFT offers therapy and counseling services to children, adults, and families in Hermosa Beach, California. She holds two Master’s Degrees – one in Counseling from the Loyola Marymount School of Education and one in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. To make an appointment, please call 310.871.4845