In an attempt to deal with my stress, I made a very misguided effort to completely remove stress from my life.  I quickly learned that this is impossible and caused myself even more stress in the process.  I realized that my stress is caused by many outside factors that I have no control over.  I learned that I cannot avoid stress but I can control how I react to it.

Relaxation is a natural stress relief.  Using techniques such as deep breathing, guided meditation, and visualization is a great way to learn to relax.  If you use relaxation techniques regularly, you can combat daily stress and feel calmer and more focused.  I have found that using relaxation techniques have made me feel more balanced and calm.  I am able to sleep better and I feel more energetic.

The hardest thing for me to do was set aside time every day to practice.  This is also the most important step in the process.  I found it much easier to stick with it if I practiced relaxation techniques (in my case, meditation and deep breathing) in the morning.  It was also a great way to start each day relaxed and calm.  Meditating at the end of the day did not work for me because I was tired.  I couldn’t focus and often fell asleep during my meditation. 

It’s really important to find a technique that works for you.  I started out trying yoga and it just didn’t work for me.  I liked doing it but it was not relaxing for me.  I think it was because it was so outside my comfort zone that I had trouble relaxing.  Even though meditation works for me now, I had to practice for a while before I was able to stay focused and relax.

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