For many of us, December can be a chaotic and stressful time of year.
Looking at my own extensive To Do List (gotta love a good list💃🏼) is giving me the actual chills.
When things get hectic, double down on the practices that help keep you calm and present.
Side note: When my To Do List gets too long, I break it up by day. So I have a Monday page, a Tuesday page etc.... This helps me prioritize my tasks and has the added bonus of not visually overwhelming me. Win!
✨ Inspire
"An anxious mind cannot exist in a relaxed body" - Edmond J. Bourne
✨ Reflect
Bringing attention into your body and out of your busy mind is an effective (and research-backed!) way to create more calm and peace in your life.
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) was introduced by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the 1930s.
Also called the Jacobson Technique, PMR involves alternating tension and relaxation in your body's major muscle groups.
✨ Thrive
PMR; Step by Step:
Find a comfortable position; I like to close my eyes
Take a few deep breaths
Go through the major muscles of your body slowly and deliberately create tension by curling, squeezing, tightening, and/or clenching each muscle
Focus on the contrast between tension and relaxation
Many begin from the bottom and work their way up - feet, calves and thighs, glutes, belly, back, chest, arms, shoulders, neck and finally face
Finish with a few more deep breaths - Inhale calm, exhale tension and stress
Notice how you feel
Try this guided 15 min Progressive Muscle Relaxation For Sleep meditation tonight to get the hang of it and you'll be able to do it on your own whenever you like.
Try it before bed, when you wake up, during a work break, before and/or after a stressful event (Hello holiday dinners 👋🏼), before an important conversation, or better yet - as a daily practice to create more peace and ease in your life.
✨ Related Posts
Finding Home Base, A Practice to Connect Inward: Come back to your Home Base with this simple, do anywhere practice
A Simple & Effective Strategy to Manage Anxious Moments: Uses the research-backed 54321 Method
How to Feel Good.... Even (Especially!) During the Holidays: Love the STOP practice to provide pause and purpose
Let me know how it goes
With love,
Carolyn
xo
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