Is this the funniest picture you have ever seen? He’s looking quite relaxed to me!
Do you find it hard to find time to relax?
It is important to your mental and physical health that you take time to relax each day because it helps to reduce stress and to improve blood pressure. I’m sure you have heard by now that a heart attack is the #1 killer of women.
Here are a few tips that can help you increase the number of years you get to enjoy your family (Do you like the way I put that?):
- Tell yourself BOLDLY that you are allowed some downtime. STOP FEELING GUILTY. During this time you will not worry about work, children, husband, boyfriends, wife, mother, father, house, bills, vacuuming, dishes, dinner, gas in the car, groceries…you get the point. You are not neglecting your duties. Quite the opposite, you are making a better you.
- Make healthy food choices. I hate to say this, but caffeine, candy and potato chips are well-known stimulants that cause stress. Healthy foods include: fresh green, orange, yellow and leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, fish, chicken, beans and skim milk.
- Take vitamins. Yes, you DO NEED VITAMINS.
- Buy a small fountain and put it in “your” spot, so that you can hear it when you take your twenty minutes to relax. The sound of the water is naturally relaxing. Play a CD of soft music (as Alyssa would say, “Old people’s elevator music”) or nature sounds in the background. Light those candles!!!
- Participate in some kind of exercise every day i.e. walk, jog, swim, or ride a bike.
- Give yourself mini-timeouts for breathing exercises. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Say YES to help from others. You are not failing. Maybe just talking to someone about how stressed you feel will be enough to uplift your mind, but let other people reap the rewards of providing you with assistance.
- Try not to take naps if you are having a hard time falling asleep at night. Insomnia is often the result of napping. Taking a few minutes to relax does not always equal sleeping.
- Learn to be more organized and prioritize your tasks. You do not have to accomplish everything TODAY. I heard you! You do not!
- Laughter is the best medicine. Fight stress by smiling and laughing because it releases endorphins which will help you relax.
- Think positively and avoid angry, negative, toxic people who do not have anything nice to say and can not see all the wonderful things around us.
- Get a massage at a local spa by a masseur. Even better, exchange a massage for something else of equal value with your honey. That takes the cost of paying someone out of the whole deal!
I know you have read this list and are thinking, “Yeah, right,” but don’t dismiss it. Remember at the beginning of the post I said it was necessary to relax in order to avoid a heart attack. Women are basically givers. We are filled with compassion and feel that everything has to get done now and by us. It just isn’t true. Just STOP.
Only YOU can make a life change. If you don’t want to change for yourself, do it for your family. Life without you would be terrible for them. Taking time each day to relax is a small sacrifice compared to the lasting effects of having a heart attack and leaving everyone behind.
I think it is best said like this:
Pee on it and walk away.
What a good reminder : ) Thank you!
The picture totally cracks me up!! I'm guilty of feeling guilty all the time. I wish I could let it go but then I'd feel guilty about that too.
I feel like I needed that!!! thank you.. I'm always running and I never take a minute to rest..I will be taking your advice!.Oh! lol! i love love love the squirrels….natalee
Perfect timing…I needed these reminders because lately I've been totally stressing. Would you like to fathom a guess as to what? LOL…my blogs and being a good blog friend. Seriously, I need to relax and breathe. Get everything in order so there's a nice balance between creating and commenting. I think it'd be a lot simpler if I kept up with everyone in a reader…so glad you have a reader button!
Hugs ~ Sandy
Great list! Always good to be reminded of that when life gets in the way. 🙂
These are all wonderful tips!! Thank You!
I really needed to read this today! Grrr
Thanks for the reminder!
Great post! I am glad to know that I'm not the only one concerned about the #1 killer of women. 🙂 I had a small stroke when I was 26, so I've learned a lot about heart disease since then. I have been better about taking care of me, and I also do the AHA's Heart Walk every year! 🙂 Thanks for posting this! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Have a great day! 🙂
Great tips! Especially this time of year when I realize I only have 3 more weeks until school starts and I never made their dentists appts and haven't gotten their school supplies yet! And I second Sandy's blog stress, too–summers are always so crazy.
Great post. I love the last comment about stress. Especially funny to me after just getting into it with my ex. Pee on it and walk away. lol. I'm still laughing.
Great post, as always! I needed these reminders very badly. I'm tired of feeling guilty.
I beleived I could fix my button code. Hope, it works this time!
Love,
Yonca
I'm relaxed. In fact, my wife says I relax too much! LOL She could use the advice given in your blog. I hope she can read it.
Looove this post and enjoyed my visit!
All such great tips!
very helpful advice. TFS! Is peeing on stressful situation and walking away like saying no?
Great advice…I like to relax every evening…and it is very quiet in here tonight…ahhh…love the quote about the dog!
Love the tips and those squirrels are having too much fun, LOL!! Actually I really would just like to be dog and pee and walk away!!
PS Thanks for your comment last Friday… I was able to read your post before I left and it was really touching.
These are great – thanks for thinking of us!
Love it…and need it…bad! I just found out my Bp was up and I usually run really low. Time to rethink, recharge, relax and all that good stuff:-)
Sing it, sister! I never take time to relax guilt free! I sit down a lot and do other things, but always feel like I should be doing something else…ugggh.
So true. When I worked as a doula I always reminded women to take a few minutes for themselves! I know people who schedule their relaxation time just to make sure it happens!!
hey lady..you just got an award from me..stop by my blog and pick it up..your friend with red highlights..natalee