So, you've finally decided to take action and implement concrete steps to reduce your stress. Congratulations!!! You've just succeeded at the hardest part - making the decision to take back control. Now that you're here, let's dive right in and explore how you can reconnect with your mojo and relax through mindful organization.
I like to call this practice Stress Dissolving Meditation. It involves identifying stressors, defining clear activities to reduce associated stress, and practicing "letting go". In Stress Dissolving Meditation, "letting go" involves literally dissolving your stressors, which are recorded on slips of paper, in water, followed by a guided meditation focused on letting go.
If you've never meditated before, or if you had a negative meditation experience in the past, not to worry! I've selected 3 guided meditations that focus on image visualization and positive affirmations, rather than on sitting in silence and reciting the ancient yoga Sutras. (Because, since when did everyone start speaking Sanskrit?!) Of course, if you prefer a more traditional style of meditation, I encourage you to use this method in your Stress Dissolving Meditation practice.
Personally, I find this practice to be very useful when I am overwhelmed, frustrated, depressed, or stuck. Stress Dissolving Meditation helps me identify, understand, and take active steps to ease these feelings. As this practice only takes 5 to 10 minutes on average (you can adapt the practice to be as short or as long as you wish), it's the perfect tool to use on stressful, busy days. So, let's get this thing started!
What You'll Need:
1 Pen or other writing tool
1 Sheet of Paper, ripped into strips large enough to write a short sentence on and thin enough to quickly dissolve in water, ideally recycled (blank sections of newspaper works perfectly)
The Zen Planner by Mindful Manifestations, or any other weekly/ daily planner
1 Guided Meditation: Self-Care for Busy People by Kris Carr (I absolutely love this album and listen to it at least once a day); the free 1-minute Letting Go Mini Meditation by Headspace; or the free 10-minute Mindfulness Letting Go Meditation by Daily Calm (my other go-to source for guided meditations).
1 Small bowl/ cup of hot water
1 Cushion or Comfortable Folded Blanket to sit on
Comfortable Clothes (not necessary, but a nice addition to your practice)
How to Practice Stress Dissolving Meditation
Write it Down: Brainstorm the responsibilities, vulnerabilities, and other things in your life that create stress. (Where might you fail? What are you expected to do by others? Who or what causes you discomfort?) Write each stressor in one sentence on a scrap of paper.
Create an Activity Plan: Review each stressor that you wrote down. What activities can you perform to reduce this stress? Write these activities down with a corresponding deadline in the Activities Section of The Zen Planner or in the blank Notes section of any other planner. Set the planner aside for later.
Dissolving Your Stress: Take one slip of paper in your hand. Read it aloud or silently to yourself. Acknowledge and honor the stress it causes you. Repeat, "I have a clear plan to reduce the stress associated with this. So, it doesn't serve me to worry about this. I choose to let it go." Place the slip of paper in the bowl of warm water and watch it dissolve. Imagine the stress caused by this particular thing melting up and out of the crown of your head as the paper disintegrates. Repeat.
Guided Meditation: When you finish, sit up on your pillow or blanket with your hands on the knees or in your lap - wherever it feels most natural. Get comfortable and listen to one of the Letting Go guided meditations mentioned above.
Noticing: Gently bat your eyes open and notice how you feel. What is different? What remains the same? Acknowledge and honor these feelings. Once you're ready, thank yourself for actively creating a plan to reduce your stress and for taking the time to care for yourself. I personally acknowledge you and thank you for joining me in this practice. Namaste.
That's it! What did you think? How do you feel now? Please leave your thoughts, questions and comments below, or share your impressions with our community on social media. Your feedback would mean the world to us!
We will release a video called Stress Dissolving Meditation on our Youtube channel (coming soon!) in January. Subscribe below for an alert when the video goes live!
Thank you so much for your time and I wish you a mindful, relaxed, and productive week!
Happy Mindful Manifesting,
Elicia Kristine XX
Comments