Tag: relax

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7 Tips To Help You Learn To Relax

Do you ever feel like you need to work at relaxation?  Sounds like an oxy-moron, doesn’t it?  But nonetheless, it’s true.  For most of us relaxation actually is close to impossible.  In our day in age, relaxation has become an art…a hard earned art and then, only if you practice it.

I have to remind myself several times a day to relax.  It’s not something I remember to do naturally.  If I don’t my shoulders and neck start to hurt and I can get a headache before I even realize it’s starting.

Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean we all can’t learn to relax and enjoy the season just that much more.  Here are a number of different ways I’ve learned, depending on where I am and what I’m doing. 

Here are 7 tips to help you learn to relax for both work and home.

If I’m at work, I have to be able to use a quick method and it has to be pretty low-key as to what I’m doing.

I .        I sit at a desk all day and in some cases I can sit there for several hours at a time using a computer, so I try to stop every hour or so.  I’ll put my hands in my lap, sit up straight, feet flat on the floor and take several deep breaths with my eyes closed.  While doing this I visualize a white/yellow light above my head and as I exhale, that light rains down on and through my head and body.  With each breath my shoulders and/or neck will feel just a little more relaxed.  After about 4 or 5 breaths, I’m ready again.

2.      Or, I’ll take a deep breath and lift and tighten my shoulders, hold both for a count of 4 or 5 and then release my breath and relax and roll my shoulders slowly, again to a count of 4 or 5.  Repeating this for 4 or 5 times.

While I’m at home I can use longer methods that are a bit more involved and more fun.

3.        Sometimes a hot bath with Epsom salts, or maybe some bubble bath always with essential oils and of course candles.

A hot bath with candles.
Sitting in a hot bath makes all the difference

4.         A bit of music maybe a mask made of crushed oats, yogurt and honey.

5.         Listening  to music and just watching the flame dance on the candle can be magic.

A lit candle.
Candles are always helpful

6.         Maybe take a walk and enjoy nature.

A nature walk.
Taking a walk in nature is a perfect way to relax

7.         As the saying goes, stop and smell the roses, enjoy the view, listen to the birds and even the wind blowing through the trees.

Lilacs.
Enjoy the nature around you.
A pond with ducks.
Enjoy the wild life too.

 The End Game

The point is instead of thinking of all the things that need done, just listen to what’s around you, enjoy what you see.  Look for the simple things and fill your head with paying attention to those things.

Whatever works for you, use it.  We don’t do it enough and it makes all the difference in dealing with stress and strain in our full everyday lives.

If you know someone who needs to learn to relax be sure and share this post with them.

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Health, Wealth & Blessings~ Tracey

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Chamomile, A Flower or a Weed

Is Chamomile a flower or a weed?  I guess that depends on who you ask.  Even some in the herbal community will call it a weed.  I never thought of it that way, although my husband does.

When I first planted Chamomile, I thought it was so pretty and it smelled remarkable.  On top of that it’s full of uses, the best of which is drinking it in tea form.  At that time, I had no idea how it spread.  Even so, I think it’s great, BUT, you have to learn to control it.

CHAMOMILE, THE FIRST YEAR

Years ago I planted Chamomile in a raised bed.  It was a circle bed about a foot & a half round.  It grew so pretty and made so many flowers.

I picked and picked and dried the flowers and used them for many different things.  At the end of that year, we had to move the bed.  I was going to lose my Chamomile, but I knew I could always plant some more.

The following year, I found little plants along the driveway and the patio.  I was so excited, I really didn’t lose all my Chamomile!!

CHAMOMILE, THE SECOND YEAR

So I protected them by not letting my husband mow them down and I picked and picked the flowers again.  I was happy.

CHAMOMILE, THE THIRD YEAR

Then came the third year.  I found Chamomile in every corner of my yard.  The leaves are so feathery, the flowers are so pretty and smell so good and it makes magnificent tea, so no worries.

This time I had to really work to convince my husband to leave various patches alone so they could grow.  I even had to make a deal with him that he could cut that area down, if he would leave this area alone.  And I continued to pick flowers.

Some people may say that makes for a nuisance weed, I just think it makes the yard look nice.

There are so many things you can use Chamomile for, that I just can’t imagine ever thinking of this plant as a nuisance.  Besides the fact that it smells divine, it taste great as a tea.  For those teas that don’t taste so good, but are good for you, all you have to do is add a bit of Chamomile to make it palatable…to “help the medicine go down”, as they say.

Share in the comments what you use chamomile for.  I’d love to know!!