Need a lift?
Down days… we all get them and at cushion the impact we are grateful to Rachel Calder at First Potential for her helpful advice, it has proved very useful.
When you’re feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, drained or just plain fed up, there are numerous ways to feel more relaxed, energised or clear-headed. Experiment with some of the strategies below and use what works best for you:
Instant Mood Boosters
1. Spend 15 minutes walking briskly in the fresh air. Notice your surroundings, be aware of the different sounds you hear, the colours you see and where you are holding any tension in your body.
2. Take a deep breath and become aware of how the air travels from your upper chest, down to your ribcage and finally fills your belly. Then be conscious of how the breath moves back up to the ribs then your upper chest and gently leaves the body. Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
3. Are you constantly worrying about something? Imagine you’re in a helicopter and visualise taking off, going up, higher and higher. As you’re going up, imagine your problem becoming smaller and smaller. Once you’re up in the sky, look down at the situation or problem from this new, more expansive and all-seeing perspective. Feel the sense of limitless space and freedom around you now compared to when you were on the ground. Allow yourself to detach from the problem. As you begin to relax and release the tension, solutions are now more likely to pop into your head. After a few minutes, imagine the helicopter bringing you back safely. Notice how you feel differently about your situation.
4. Listen to your body. If you’re really tired, your body is telling you to slow down. Take a rest, find time to have a relaxing bath, or sit quietly with your eyes closed or listen to some calming music.
5. Be aware of your posture. When people are in a negative state of mind, they often have their chins tucked into their chest. Their shoulders are slumped and their lungs become squashed. They literally and metaphorically ‘look down’! As a result they have a limited perspective and their breathing becomes more shallow. Standing taller and sitting up straight lengthens the spine. This allows you to breathe more deeply and changes your perspective. Looking upwards stimulates alpha waves which make you feel good and as you change your posture you can create more feelings of peace and expand your horizons.
