Steps to Relaxing

1. Think positively. Focus on the beauty in everything.
2. Avoid people that are constantly complaining or angry. Stress can be contagious, so avoid transmitters.
3. Avoid toxic people. Spend less time with people who try to guilt you into doing things or tell you that you're not good enough. Yes, even if they're family.
4. Stop feeling guilty. Guilt is a potent source of stress. Get rid of the source of guilt by behaving yourself; stop engaging in behaviors that make you feel guilty. Seek professional help, if necessary, but don't allow destructive behavior to escalate and sabotage your life and health.
5. Learn to prioritize. Make a list of tasks for the day. Organize the list by importance. Learn to be proactive and take care of things before they become a big problem. Time spent more productively means more free time to relax.
6. Make healthy food choices.
- Avoid excessive sugar found in granola bars, pastries or soda. Carbohydrates, such as pasta, convert easily to sugar. These can cause severe ups and downs and agitation, upsetting your body's ability to efficiently utilize energy.
- Avoid excessive coffee. Instead of regular coffee, switch to decaf or an herbal tea with little or no caffeine.
- Eat fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains that are free of refined sugar, such as apples, grapes, carrots, broccoli, brown rice or whole grain breads.
- Eat plenty of low-calorie protein, such as chicken, fish, whole grains, legumes, dark leafy vegetables or low-fat dairy. These proteins are a better source of energy.
- Take a multi-vitamin. Some vitamins relieve stress.
7. Exercise every day. This is the best known, scientifically proven way to significantly reduce stress. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to overcome stress if you exercise regularly.
- Try at least thirty minutes per day of moderate activity.
- Walk in the park, woods or on a treadmill.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Park a little further away from the entrance of a store.
- Ride a bike.
- Go swimming. Try your local pool, a nearby lake or a friend or relative's home.
- Increase your activity, once you've built endurance, if desired.
- You don't need to work out like a body builder or celebrity.
8. Find a quiet place when you are feeling overwhelmed.
- Draw a warm bath. Light candles around the tub, dim the lights, add bubbles or lavender, if desired.
- Lay on your bed or sofa. Play some soft music or nature CDs. Relax listening to ocean waves, waterfalls or birds.
- Read a good book. Curl up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of chamomile tea.
- Imagine a personal paradise. Close your eyes and envision a different setting. What do you see around you? Is there a breeze? What do you hear - birds or water? Imagine the calming sound of ocean waves reaching the shore. Enjoy a moment in your special place.
- Even the stall of a bathroom will work if you have no other place to go.
9. Download ebooks on relaxation. Use controlled breathing, muscle tensing and relaxing, affirmations (which become your own subliminal messages to your subconscious), and visualization to experience the full impact of total relaxation.
10. Do yoga. It relaxes your body and clears your mind of the stress and rush of the day.
11. Practice meditation. Remove all thoughts and emotions from your mind by concentrating on your breathing. It takes a little practice, but is very rewarding. Some Buddhist monks use this practice throughout their lives!
12. Breathe more slowly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Inhale deeply, count to five, then exhale slowly, counting to five. Do this ten times to relax your muscles and nerves.
13. Try a massage. Go to your local spa for a great massage.
14. Lower your shoulders to help relax. Be more consciously aware of the tension that is quick to accumulate in your shoulders.
15. Perform self-hypnosis. Focus on something, take a few deep breaths and let yourself become hypnotized. If you have trouble with self-hypnosis, go to a licensed hypnotherapist. Do not allow an amateur to try to hypnotize you. Beware of subliminal messages.
16. Be calmed by water. Assemble a small fountain in your bedroom or yard. Walk near a beach or lake. The calming sounds of water are very soothing.
17. Do activities or hobbies that relax you. Get your mind off the things that normally stress you out. You may just need a break every now and then.
- Go fishing
- Sew
- Sing
- Paint
- Take photographs
- Weird as it sounds, try singing a song using numbers instead of words. This helps to distract you from stress to suddenly relax.
18. Spend time with your pet. Cuddle or play with your pets. They'll love it and so will you. Talk to your pet about all the stress and anxiety you've been going through and you'll feel a lot better.
19. Read a book or an article that makes you think. Read about a leader, such as Martin Luther King or Frankl's writings about the mind. Inspirational thoughts can lead to a more positive outlook on life and add new energy.
20. Work! Although this may sound counteractive to your goal, procrastination never feels as good as having nothing to do. Get it done now and truly relax.
21. Smile and laugh. Laughter is the best medicine. Rent, buy or see a hilarious movie. This is guaranteed to help. Smiling and laughing releases endorphins, which fights stress, helps to relax and reminds you that life is more than just work. Even if it feels strange at first, make it a point to smile more often.