With the new school year beginning, there are many people (myself included) who have to make abrupt adjustments to their schedules. This includes adding schoolwork into a schedule that isn't quite routine yet, getting settled into the environment, and reconstructing daily routine in its entirety. This can be a very stressful time for many people, and dealing with stress can be something that is too easily overlooked, but it is an incredibly important part of staying healthy, both mentally and physically. There are many ways to handle stress and to ground yourself in a time of chaos, and even a couple methods that you can fit into any everyday routine.
1. Centering.
Centering is actually an ancient technique used in the Japanese art of "spiritual harmony" called Aikido. It's a visualization technique that's very simple and easy to fit into a daily routine. It generally comes in 3 steps:
Breath focus -- Being mindful of your breathing will help to eliminate some whole-body tension and begin to bring your heart rate down, calming you and helping you to focus. Focusing on relaxing the muscles with the most tension will combat physical stress and help with relaxation.
Finding your center -- Find your physical center of gravity, located within your core, which will help to remind you to regain control, rebalance, and ground yourself to feel more stable.
Redirect your energy -- After you've grounded yourself mentally and physically, use that newly found mental energy to help get through the rest of your routine.
2. Tapping.
It's basically exactly what it sounds like. Although this method may seem a little unorthodox to some, and probably not one people would feel comfortable doing in a public space, it's still an innovative way to refocus mental and physical energy to relieve stress within the body. It has been described as being "emotional acupuncture without needles". This is basically how it works:
Think about what is making you the most stressed, whether it's school, work, friends, or anything in-between. Compose a thought that recognizes the stress while simultaneously is self-affirming. For example, "Even though I'm stressed out about this deadline, I completely accept myself for who I am".
Now, the tapping actually begins. Start with four fingers on one hand, and tap the opposite hand (on the side opposite from the thumb), while repeating this statement a few times aloud to yourself. Then, using soft pressure, take either the first two or all four fingers, and begin tapping all the "meridian points" 5-7 times each. These points include the bridge of your nose, temple, under the eye, under the nose, the crease between the chin and lip, collarbone, underarm, and the top of the head. This should help release bad energy, and you can repeat the process as many times as necessary to achieve a more complete relaxed state.
By adding one or both of these methods into a busy routine, it could alleviate much of the stress that comes with big transition times in your life. Share with family and friends to help them reduce their stress as well!
