10 REALLY Simple Ways to De-stress & Relax

As many of you know, my work, and website are about being happy, and about spiritual & psychic development.

What is the first and foremost requirement for being happy?

What is the first and foremost requirement for spiritual & psychic development?

You should be relaxed.

That is the first requirement.

So here are 10 simple ways you can relax, and de-stress.

1. Hug someone. Yes, you read right. Hug someone. Heart to heart. Tightly. Warmly. 🙂 Hug someone you feel comfortable with, or someone who needs a hug. 🙂 Or hug your pet. Humans have an undeniable need for touch. Hugging raises the feel-good hormone Oxytocin. It decreased the stress hormone Cortisol. It lowers blood pressure. Holding someone’s hands, putting an arm around someone’s shoulders do the same. Basically a warm, loving touch does it all.
2. Gaze at the night sky. When was the last time you took some time off your hamster wheel and just gazed at the stars? There is something magical about the stars. Plant yourself on a relaxing garden chair in your yard, balcony, near a window, or anywhere you can get an unobstructed view of the stars. If it is cool, wrap yourself in a blanket – that adds to the feeling of relaxation and comfort. Now spend some quality time with the stars. We often get so caught up with our lives that our problems become bigger than life, and all we can think about is ourselves. Somehow staring at the vastness of the sky, and searching through the majesty of the stars brings everything into perspective. You realize you are just a tiny part of this grand creation. And your problems seem less gigantic than they did before. Try it for yourself and see.
3. A particular way of using affirmations. I’m not asking you to say the regular kind of affirmations. While I am a believer in affirmations, just yesterday I discovered (I seem to learn something new everyday) a new way of affirming that makes my head swim with joy. Instead of saying something like, “I am completely healthy”, “I am financially comfortable” etc, try rewording it like this: “I love the feeling of being completely healthy”, “I love the feeling of being rich rich rich beyond my wildest dreams”, “I love the feeling of being in love”, “I love the feeling of having loving people in my life” etc. Write down 20 such statements about the things you most want in life, and then read them silently and slowly in your mind. Regular affirmations take time to work, and in the beginning raise opposition in your mind, such as, “How can I say I am completely healthy if I have a backache/fever/toothache/ulcer etc”. But saying, “I love the feeling of being completely healthy” has no opposition. Who doesn’t love the feeling of being completely healthy? Your mind/ego will create no problems there. So try doing this exercise. Write down at least 20 such statements about what you really want…read them slowly…digest them. You will end up smiling, with your heart soaring with the angels.
4. Learn or do something new. Too much of anything gets us down. That includes too much of your routine as well. You could do something as simple as driving a different route, or going for a walk on a different path. Or try brushing your teeth with the other hand. Really. 🙂 Get a haircut. Or be more daring, and sign up for classes to learn something new. It works! Doing something new forces your brain to re-wire, re-map, and this excites and uplifts you.
5. De-clutter or re-decorate. Start a project to declutter a small area, or even a whole room. Don’t start a huge new endeavor if you are already stressed with too much work. Just take up a small project. Even just a small bathroom or a closet will do. When you remove items you are not using, and donate or recycle them, the energy of your living area and your mind & body changes. It gets refreshed. It feels like you breathed new life into your home. And if you end up redecorating a room, you will feel totally elated. I remember when I was a child, my mom used to often re-arrange some room or another in the house. And when I returned home from school and saw things looking different, it used to make me feel really happy.
6. Simple 5 minute meditations. Meditation works. I have written blog posts on simple 5 minute meditations. Do them and feel better immediately. If you don’t already have a meditation method you want to use, read these simple 5 minute meditation series I have written, and begin with the first method: i) 5 Minute Meditation #1, ii) 5 Minute Meditation #2, iii) 5 Minute Meditation #3. And if you want to help your little children learn to meditate and feel relaxed, try this: Simple Meditation for Children.
7. Aromatherapy. Fragrances help beautifully in de-stressing, relaxing, and up-lifting. Essential oils are especially effective. These essential oils help us relax and feel better: Sandalwood, Bergamot, Jasmine, Lavender, Rose, Basil, Peppermint. Take a couple of drops in your hands and rub them together. Then bring your palms to your nose and close your eyes, and inhale-exhale slowly and deeply 7-10 times. Wait a few seconds, repeat. Do this for a few minutes and you will feel a lot better. Sandalwood works especially well in elevating my moods.
8. Give up control. You already know this, but tell yourself again — you don’t control everything in this world. You are not responsible for saving the world. You can change a few things, and there are a few things you can do nothing about. You (or anyone) cannot win an argument. You cannot argue someone into changing their views. You cannot control how others behave. The world has been working, and will continue working. The good and the bad will continue to co-exist. And at this very moment, you are safe, and reading this. The moment you let go of control, you will feel the weight lift off your shoulders.
9. Believe in something bigger than you. I am not asking you to change your religious beliefs. Believe in something, some power bigger than you. Call this power God, Higher Power, Universe…or anything else you want. Just knowing there is a higher power, a higher plan, a higher wisdom that you can rely upon makes you relax.
10. Watch a funny movie. Take a break, relax on your couch, wrap yourself in a comfortable shawl/throw/blanket if it is cold enough, and watch a really funny movie. The kind that makes you laugh and laugh. Laughter truly is a powerful medicine. This is not just a cliche. It is a proven fact. Laughter is used as therapy even for cancer. Laughter is  wonderful de-stressing tool. You could google “laughter therapy” and will come across a wealth of information on it if you want to learn more. Or…you can watch that funny movie and laugh till your jaws and stomach hurt. In a good way. 😀 You could also read a bit about my crazy life and how Archangel Michael puts up with me: https://www.swatinigam.com/archangel-michael-guided-back-home/

I don’t mean you need to do ALL these 10 things. Most likely, just one of these things done well will work. 🙂 Have a happy, relaxed, de-stressed rest of the day…week…month…life. 😀

Learn about my “Love Your Life” coaching, and schedule an hour of coaching to eliminate stress from your life: https://www.swatinigam.com/life-coaching/