Meditation and Relaxation for Wellness

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Meditation and Relaxation Exercises – You Can Do them just about Anywhere.

There are countless benefits to learning meditation and relaxation exercises to help deal with stress and alleviate tiredness.  Meditation is a means to find peace and calm, and relax the body and mind. It is a means to look inward, detach, and focus on a few moments for one’s self. Relaxation exercises are also a means to remove tension but have the added benefit of being able to not only affect one’s emotional and mental well-being but also affect the physical body positively because of the simple movements involved.

In this day and age where people are constantly on the go; and the hustle and bustle of life takes up so much of one’s day, it is important to have the know-how to deal with these stresses any time and to make sure that the body and the mind are always in tip top shape.  Additionally, there have long been connections between how stress manifests itself as illnesses of the body. Knowing how to meditate and learning and practicing simple relaxation exercises greatly help one’s well-being.

 

Meditation Basics

Follow these steps for a few minutes of meditation to center one’s self and de-stress.

  • Find a safe and comfortable place.

A few moments of meditation can be done just about anywhere.  All that is needed is a place where one is safe and secure and comfortable. It may be a few moments in the car, a quiet bench or seat in the house, park or even the mall, or even just sitting quietly at your office desk.

  • Close your eyes and try to block out the world for a moment and focus on just one’s self.

 

This step takes some time to master.  In the beginning it may take a few moments to consciously quiet one’s self and let go of all the distractions around, but as you practice, it gets easier and easier to do so. Try to maintain this calm for as long as possible. After some practice, it becomes easier and one can stay longer in this state.

 

  • Focus on your breathing

 

This is basically the best thing to focus on because it will always be there and present. Being conscious of the regularly and rhythm of one’s breathing helps create a sense of tranquility and peace.  Learn to appreciate each moment of breathing in – feeling the breath filling one’s being.  Also focus on breathing out, imagining stresses and all distractions leaving along with each breath that leaves one’s body.

 

  • Do this consistently for a few minutes, a few times each day

Practicing meditation daily will help improve one’s well-being and one’s ability to deal with the daily stresses and tensions throughout the day.  It only takes a few moments, but its benefits are well worth it.

 

Relaxation exercises that complement meditation

  • Stretching

 

Find a safe place to spend a few moments to relax.  While breathing deeply and purposefully, do the following simple stretches.

 

  • Head Tilts

From looking forward with one’s head straight, tilt your head from to center to one side, moving slowly for up to 8 counts. Slowly go back to the first position, breathing deeply and tilt to the other side.  Move on to tilting from front to back, again focusing on the slow and purposeful movements and doing up to 8 counts.

 

  • Head Turns

While focusing on one’s breathing and starting from head facing forward, lead with one’s chin and slowly turn to the right, taking about 8 to 10 counts to complete the movement. Stay there for a breath or two and slowly go back to front facing position and repeat on the other side.

 

  • Shoulder lifts

With both arms loose and relaxed, slowly lift the shoulder’s up. Pause for a breath or two and slowly lower back to first position. Do this a few times to loosen the shoulders and back.

 

  • Torso Twists

Beginning from the facing front position, slowly turn to one side, twisting from the waist. Do this slowly and be conscious to only twist up to what is a comfortable stretch. Pause for a moment or two and slowly go back to 1st position. Do this on both sides slowly and purposefully.

 

  • Leg Flexes

Slowly and purposefully move your legs to gently stretch and relax the muscles. Start with the knees, slowly bending each knee and pulling it up towards the chest. Additionally, maintain deep breaths and feel the stretch.  Slowly bring the knee back down and repeat on the other.

 

  • Mindful muscle flexing

 

While practicing meditative breathing, flex and relax the muscles to relieve them of tension. Moving up slowly from the toes do this for all muscle groups – the legs, buttocks, abdomen, fingers, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and then face; focusing on slowly flexing them and feeling them tighten, and then releasing them and feeling the tension leave.

These small movements are beneficial not only for one’s physical well-being but also to be more mindful and aware of one’s mind-body connection.

Meditation and relaxation exercises have a lot of benefits. It is not only good for the body but also for mental and emotional wellness. Those mentioned are a few ways that are simple and easy to do just about anywhere.

Meditation and Relaxation Exercises create a better sense of self and well-being.

Human behavior

Download this useful guide to begin your road to Wellness.

 

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10 Weight Loss Tips Losing Weight Made Easy

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10 Weight Loss Tips that Work Well.

Have you have been trying to lose weight for sometime, but you feel like you are getting no where? You are becoming frustrated and you feel that you are out of options and nowhere else to turn. Well there are 10 weight loss tips that you may not have tried that you probably will need to be aware of. These ten tips will actually help you succeed in your weight loss program.

1. Drink a Lot of Water.

* You need to begin your weight loss program by drinking plenty of water. When you are dieting this usually consists of eight to ten glasses a day. This water will help you keep hydrated, detoxified, and will help you keep those nasty hunger pangs at bay.

2. Meals, Have at Least 3 Large and 2 Small Ones Daily.

* You should have at least five if not six meals a day. This should consist of three large meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and at least two small calorie snacks usually mid morning and early evening. This will be great for your metabolism. Also by no means are you to skip meals. If you skip meals then you will cause your metabolism to become off balance.

3. Have Regular  Workouts.

* Regular exercise is great when you are trying to lose weight. It will help in increasing your metabolism and also increase your overall fitness levels. Try things such as a brisk walk, jogging, and bike riding among others, as these are all good for your heart. You can also try weight training as it will help you build up your muscle and also build up your endurance.

4. Work on Your Mental Outlook.

* Mental workouts are also important to your weight loss program. Things like Yoga and Meditation will help lower your stress, allow you to experience mental relaxation and improves your concentration. Both the mental and physical exercise if combined correctly will help with your personality and overall physical health.

5. Eat Instead of Drinking.

* It will be much healthier for you, as a whole, to eat rather than drink. A lot of people believe in an all liquid diet but you need to realize these are not good. All you are basically taking in is pure sugar.

6. Read Food Labels Carefully.

* You need to pay close attention to all food labels, especially when you are trying to lose weight. In doing so you need to compare calorie intake and overall healthiness of the food.

7. Be Aware of Portion Sizes.

* You need to pay attention to your portion sizes. It is one of the most useful steps to proper weight loss.

8. Low Fat and Low Sugar Foods.

* You need to be sure to choose foods that are low fat and with low amounts of sugar.

9. Develop and Follow a Sleeping Routine.

* A good night sleep is also essential to proper weight loss. You also need to make sure you are going to bed and getting up at the same time every day

10. Write Down a Daily Journal.

* You need to do a daily diary/journal on all the food that you take in and carry it with you at all times. This will help you keep track of the calories that you have already consumed for the day which allows you to plan your next meal more effectively.

Finally, follow these 10 Weight Loss Tips and you will be losing weight in no time.

Fitness and Well Being
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Mindfulness Tips – Learn how to use it.

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Mindfulness Tips for Beginners.

 

Mindfulness is a practice that allows you to stay present, be non-judgmental, accept what is happening now in your life, and focus more on each action you take throughout the day.

It provides many health benefits. Reduce stress and anxiety, giving you a more positive outlook, and helping you focus and succeed. In other words, lead you to health and wellness

Here are some mindfulness tips for people just starting out.

Work on Your Concentration

Mindfulness is called a practice because it is not a natural skill everyone possesses. You need to practice it every day, and over time, it becomes just as natural as breathing. However, you need to start somewhere, which is typically with concentrating.

If you are like most people, you go through your day completing tasks in a mindless way. Your mind probably wanders off and focuses on other things, like what you need to do later, making a mental to-do list, and thinking about a fond memory.

What you need to do with mindfulness is concentrate on what you are doing or experiencing right now, not in the future or the past. This takes a good amount of focus and concentration in order to stay mindful.

Understand the Misconceptions About Mindfulness

People often confuse mindfulness and meditation because they can be done together, but they are not the same thing. Make sure you understand what mindful is and what it isn’t, as there are some common misconceptions about it.

Mindfulness is not meditation, where you clear your mind and achieve a zen level of peace and tranquility. Mindfulness is more about focusing on what you are currently doing or thinking about, and staying mindful of it.

You are trying to focus your attention on what is happening in this very moment, instead of trying to think about nothing.

Be Mindful with Mundane Activities

An easy way to start practicing mindfulness is to focus on any mundane or simple activity you do during the day. This can be eating a meal, brushing your teeth, writing in a journal, driving to work, or petting your dog. As you participate in this activity, try to be mindful of it, the sensations, and focus on the task at hand.

This will also help you to understand when you tend to zone out, such as while you are driving to the store or when you are using your phone. You want these activities to be as mindful as possible.

Above are some great Mindfulness Tips. There many more to learn. Read about it.

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Morning Meditation Routine

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Morning Meditation Routine – Why You Need It.

When you wake up in the morning, do you feel ready to tackle the new day? Does your daily routine include breakfast and time with the family? Do you ever get ready mentally to face the new day?. Sometimes people go through life on autopilot, instead of taking the time to reflect a little. If they did, then they might be able to find wellness, joy and balance in their lives.

This article will be discussing how to add a morning meditation routine.

How to Start the Day – Breathe and Visualize.

There are many people who  wake up and run to get their morning cup of coffee. However, replacing it with a morning meditation routine is a great place to start. When you wake up, take time to drink a glass of water or tea. Then sit in a quiet space and focus on your breathing. Be sure to inhale and exhale at an even slow pace. If you go too fast, you may begin to hyperventilate, so be patient with this practice. See yourself charging through your day feeling alert and ready for the challenges. Visualization is a huge part of your thinking process.

Focus on What Has to be Done – Set the path to do it.

After you have had your breathing moment go over the things that you need to do that day. Write them down, go over the list and make sure you have them in your head. Visualize completing each task in the order that makes the most sense to you. Know the paths that you will take to get there. This will lock your goals in an order that you can easily track through the day. Additionally, make sure you have a positive attitude about finishing your tasks.You don’t need to know Yoga to do this.

Avoid Distractions – Discard what is not Necessary.

Stay focus on the things that are at hand and avoid getting distracted. Again visualize yourself putting other matters aside until a more appropriate time in the near future. If you allow your mind
to torture itself with clutter, it will prevent you from making progress. Focus only on what is important.

Find Appreciation for The Less Exciting

Tackle first those things that aren’t much fun but are necessary.  Make them part of your morning meditation. And never forget why you are doing it. Hence, it will bring you appreciation to the fact that you are making life better for you and your family.

Finally, make this morning meditation routine the daily starting point to success!

 

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Managing Stress – Seven Helpful Tips

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Managing Stress – A Few Ideas to Consider

Managing Stress

Shivmirthyu / Pixabay

Are you wanting to learn methods of how to manage stress better? Stress can take a toll on you and make life very hard.

Especially relevant, managing stress requires that you be aware that you are suffering from it. Therefore it is crucial that you become aware.

If you want to know how to cope, here are 7 useful tips to help you combat stress:

  1. Make a to-do list every day. Use check marks to mark things off. Part of feeling overwhelmed with stress often comes from feeling like you’ve got too much to do in a day. Having a list
    Managing Srewss

    blockchain / Pixabay

    helps you quantify what’s done and what needs to be done can help in a big way.

  2.  Do the most difficult tasks first. Stress often comes from a feeling of dread. If you’re dreading something that you have no choice but to face, it might feel too ominous to tackle. But if you don’t tackle it, you’ll spend the day dreading it. Hence, by getting rid of the most difficult tasks first, you free up your mindset to focus on other things and you will be managing stress levels in the process.
  3. Meditation and relaxation exercises. Many methods exist to help you learn how to manage stress better. Breathing exercises, yoga, taking a walk, getting a massage.. some of these areas probably will make a big difference in how you’re feeling. Many people find that meditation helps them achieve clarity and energy that helps them overcome stress.
  4.  Ask for help. Many people also don’t realize that they’re inadvertently acting like martyrs. Therefore, if you don’t ask your spouse, your children, or your boss or co-workers for help, they might not be aware how big of a toll stress is taking on you. Tip: Try asking for help in a non-confrontational way. You might do so after taking some of the steps in #3 above.
  5.  De-clutter your environment. Stress and mess seem to go hand in hand, don’t they? Therefore, if you’re stressed, you might not have time to deal with the mess. The mess might increase your stress. Stop and take just 30 minutes to clear your area, it will give you a clear head and the ability to better cope.
  6.  Take a stress break. Take a “time out” and do something that gives you a release. Some people get a stress release from exercising. Others get it from playing a video game. Some immerse themselves in a book. Others take a hot bubble bath. Consequently try to find something that helps you.
  7. Try not to sweat the small stuff , do not take on other peoples’ stress. While some things are out of your control and you can’t manage them.  Realizing that you can only learn how to manage stress for things within your control will help you better cope with the reality that some things that are just out of your control.

Finally, managing stress requires change in your behavior. Therefore look for the way, you will find it!

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