Second day of Stress Reduction;

Yesterday you learned you aren’t going to die, but that you are going to kill yourself (with stress). Now the simple and quick solution is pills, but we aren’t talking pills, we are talking skills. Pills commonly have negative side effects. Skills have positive side effects.

Everything you need is already inside of you. Babies know how to fall asleep, you do too.

Your body is where it is, but your mind can be one of three places. It could be in the past, it could in the future, or it could be in the present. To relax, it must be in the present. The future is where anxiety is. The past is where regret is. The present is where relaxation is.

Yesterday we did a simple exercise called the complete breath. Breathe in through your nose for the count of six, and then out through your mouth for the count of six, and you do that six times.

Let’s try another technique.

All you have to do is to count down 5-4-3-2-1. You cannot make yourself relax, you must let yourself relax. If you are sitting in a chair, don’t sit in the chair, let the chair support you. Let the air breath you.

5- Relax your toes to your knees
4- Relax your knees to you hips
3- Relax your torso
2- Relax your arms
1- Relax your neck and your head.

Run through that slowly a few times, counting down 5-4-3-2-1.

Just let that happen. To come back to the present. Just repeat the complete breath, with your eyes closed, and then open your eyes.