Daily Rituals For Today’s Stressful Times

As I’ve mentioned often, we are in changing and stressful times. Chaos precedes change. Can you feel and see the chaos?

There is no doubt, the Coronavirus is a real threat. This, combined with the lack of confidence in the economy, world politics and other atrocities, how can we best protect ourselves, those we love and the rest of humanity?

The only thing you have control over is you. So how can you best take care of yourself in times of high stress and trouble?

Besides taking extreme vigilance with cleanliness and protecting yourself in public places, you must do everything you can to keep your immune system strong. How do you do that? Make choices that create a strong and healthy body.

Self-awareness is key. Minimise stress within you. Become aware of what is creating stress, how stress feels in your body and turn it around.

Below are some suggestions to help minimise stress in a stressful world:

Get plenty of restful sleep. This means a minimum of 7-8 hours per night. Remove all electrical equipment out of your bedroom. EFTs are proven to weaken the immune system. This includes phones, computers, clocks, and screens, anything you plug into an outlet to charge or run. Take it out of the bedroom while you are sleeping.

Slow down. Your need to produce can bring you fulfillment, AND when not in balance, it can be the cause of major stress. Striving and pushing to perfect, perform, control or compete can create a stressful life. Ask yourself, is working this hard bringing me joy or stress? Am I choosing to work this hard from a place of love or from a place of fear?

Quiet your mind through relaxation practices. A few ways to explore are meditation, deep breathing, certain types of yoga and listening to quiet music. Just BE. There are many apps for these practices which make them easily accessible and inexpensive to use. The key is to use them. Make chilling out a non-negotiable part of your day, even if it’s 10 minutes. Yes, you DO have time.

Healthy nutrition. Fresh, organic fruits and veggies. Plenty of filtered water. Whole grains. Eliminate processed foods as much as possible. Think anti-inflammatory foods such as ginger, turmeric, garlic. If you feel drawn to taking supplements like herbs and nutraceuticals, do that too.   

Move your body. Put on some music and dance. Go for a walk or ride your bike. This is a great way to drop out of your head (where anxiety lives) and into your body.

Get outside in nature. Surround yourself with beauty. Listen to the birds. Smell the flowers. Feel the sun on your face. Breathe air into your lungs. Again, it’s all about being in your body in the present moment. 

Become emotionally intelligent. Know what emotions are creating stress and stop feeding them with fear, worry and anxiety. Look at the stories you tell yourself that are feeding this fear and turn them around. Do what you can, then lean into hope and trust. Worrying creates stress. Set the intention to stop worrying today and see it being easy. 

Have more compassion for the people and world around you. Learn to listen deeply. Ask how you can help and support others. Offer a smile and a kind word. Remember, we are all in this together. 

Finding and accepting your true self is the cure for all suffering. Knowing how to make choices that honor and love yourself is the path of inner peace. Let’s use this time to grow ourselves and create deeper connections with others.

What are some ways you minimise stress in your life? I’d love to know. Please share your thoughts and ideas below so we can all learn from each other.