Tweet

Relaxation – a key to good functioning

Guest post by: Iris Barrow

Article Overview: Give yourself time out every day. Learn the art of relaxation and start reaping the benefits in only three weeks of regular practice. Daily practice calms the nerves, and you’ll soon find you are able to cope much better when faced with stressful situations. This article describes the benefits of learning how to relax and how you can extend the practice to achieve inner peace and more.

Relaxation – a key to good functioning

Stressed out? Some tools that may help

When you’re upset or stressed, or suffer from inner turmoil, what do you do to get back your equilibrium? Indulge in some retail therapy? Take out your frustration on a colleague or family member? Hit a ball around the squash court?

Sometimes it can be too painful to look at what’s really going on. It’s often easier to do something that simply takes your mind off how you’re feeling, though of course, as soon as you’ve bought that new outfit or shouted at your colleague, the feelings you were trying to escape from return. In fact, it’s likely you’ll feel even worse!

Of course, there are many tools you can use to help reduce your stress levels and understand the issues that are upsetting you. You may benefit from the help of a psychologist or counselor. If you consider you can manage on your own with some guidance, there are many excellent self-help CDs and books that can provide information and practical exercises to help you function better.

One of the most valuable tools I share with my clients is the art of relaxation. If we are stressed, anxious, or overloaded, we are usually too on edge and distracted to assimilate information and gain perspective. If we can fully relax, which takes some practice, we are more able to focus, we are more open to change, and hence to growth.

The benefits of relaxation

You owe it to yourself to learn and practice the skill of daily relaxation. Nothing will open doors for you as much as this will. It leads to inner balance, better health, enables you to access the 'fuller brain', (resulting in more spontaneous, creative thinking), gives you a higher level of energy, and as Daniel Golman, author of ‘Emotional Intelligence’ and well known psychological researcher-journalist explains, “There is evidence to suggest it even helps to build the immune system”.

Do you need more proof of what it will do for you? It can also lead to the practice of meditation and contemplation, if that is a further step you choose to take.

The easiest way to learn the skill of relaxation is to do a course or listen to a CD, such as the one available on my website. It’s called ‘Learning to Relax’ and talks you through the process, step by step. If you practice daily, you should notice a difference around the third week. See the shopping page on my web site for more details.

Contemplation/Meditation

Those who wish to go further with their 'inner journey' cannot do better than adopt the practice of going within. Most of the people I know who are serious about operating in a more complete way, are eventually drawn to it. Often it seems to be the next sign along the pathway to self-growth for them - and at some point they are attracted to it, or at least keen to learn about what it can do for them. This is a personal observation only, but I have usually found that people who seem to have innate wisdom, and who are steadily developing their spiritual dimension often seem to practice it. I have heard it described as 'the ultimate experience', and no, I am not talking about experiencing emotional highs, or indeed any form of immediate feedback, but rather the steady development of a quiet deep inner peace. Of course the person who meditates or contemplates will experience life's problems and be battered around by them like anyone else, but they will not be shattered by them, because they will have a deep inner security, and the knowledge that ultimately all will be well. For some people deep meditation goes hand-in-hand with their spiritual life. For me, it is the place where I come nearest to finding and experiencing God, who in my faith also dwells within.

Some of the effects of this practise are the gaining of wisdom, discernment, better judgement, getting priorities right, ‘just knowing’ (deeper and fuller intuition), balance, improved health and well-being, the ability to see the whole picture, to experience the long-term effects, peace of mind (to a greater degree), greater ability to ‘roll with life’s punches’, greater ability to forgive, ability to see the good in people, to know where people are coming from, and the desire to grow spiritually.

Balancing your Mind

It is just as important to balance out mentally and emotionally as it is physically. What good is the one without the other? Of what benefit is it to go on holiday to a place where the environment is peaceful and relaxing, when you continue to worry and tussle with problems? Remember the mind speaks to the body, just as the body speaks to the mind. We cannot effectively deal with physical tension if we are stressed out mentally. We need to relax the mind as well as the body by allowing ourselves to daydream, to switch off to active-type thinking, to simply focus on the beauties of nature. You know that old-fashioned phrase, brain-fatigue? In my experience such a condition does exist. When you get close to it, your mind just temporarily 'switches off' in order to rescue you, better to blow a fuse than a circuit. However, why get to that point in the first place? If you look after your whole-person needs as you should, you don't have to.

Related Articles
  Cortisol, Stress and Your Health
  Your Recommended Daily Allowance for Relaxation
  Don't Wait Until You're Dead To Relax
  Reduce Stress In The Workplace By Changing Your Rules
  100 Ways to Succeed #79
  Relaxation Techniques for Stress and Anxiety
  CREATIVE VISUALISATION OR IMAGERY
  It seemed important at the time
  Presentations, 3 Killer Tools for Managing the Fear Factor
  'Tis The Season For Relaxation
  The Stealth Productivity Secret: (Ssshh) Lights Out
  A Financial Emergency
  Warren Buffett Owner Principle #5
  Managing Personal Stress in Business
  Differences Between Psychotherapy and Professional Coaching
  Capitalism is Interpreted too Narrowly
  Are You a Master of Your Moments?
  Home-based Business: Massage Therapy Salon
  HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS FOR MANAGING WORK
  Simple, Everyday Relaxation Techniques

Article Tags: contemplation, inner peace, meditation, nerves, overcome stress, relaxation, relaxation CD, stressful situations, time out



Related Forum Posts
Hi Everybody, I'm a fresher here - [color=blue:dtnm7nrh] Hi Everybody, I just registered myself here last night and I'd say that I'm really impressed with the number of active members and number of posts. I'm sure it's gonna be an wonderful experience for me. My name is Palak Biswas. I'm functioning with RapidSoft Systems as the Business Development Manager and responsible for the complete offshore operations in India. We have sales offices in NJ and CA as well. Our core competency is into mobile applications, social-networking area and the WEB 2.0 space. We are coming up with our own 'Social-networking software' package which will be completely customizable as per requirements and one can cherry pick the features they'd love to have in his/her site. anyone interested to know more, can drop me a line - palak@rapidsoftsystems.com . I'd be looking for all your suggestions... [/color:dtnm7nrh]
How To Replace Google Adsense? - I made my last check of Google Adsense last night, all systems functioning normally. I get up this morning and try to check my account, my account has been disabled. I received no warning, nothing. I sent in their little "appeal" form, saying I had no idea why my account was canceled, and it was outrageous, and now I have to wait 48 hours to see if they'll reinstate it. But it's outrageous, as they didn't - and won't - tell me *why* it was cancelled. Ostensibly it is to protect their "publishers" but I know very well that they do it so you can't file a lawsuit against them because they arbitrarily cut someone off and ruined their entire income stream! Was it "click-fraud"? Did they just not like some of the stuff I've got on my sites? (I've got a political blog critical of Obama...did they decide they didn't want to be associated with that?) What? I am so furious right now, and even if they do "un-disable" me, I no longer want to have their crap on my site. Problem is, what can I replace it with that will generate the same kind of income? I thought of the Yahoo program - but they've been bought out by Google, haven't they?
Re: looking for experienced affiliate feedback - Hi All, I appreciate everyone's input. Thank you. I don't feel as though we've gotten to the core of the issue yet. "Hiring" or enlisting the service of affiliate salespeople shouldn't really be any different than hiring someone straight out to market the product. The difference is in the way payment is made, ie. through a type of commission taken from the sale near the time of the sale. Whereas I could just pay someone a flat fee or a by-the-hour rate and directly hire him/her or a firm to market and sell my product. The firm I hire doesn't expect me to do their work for them, do they? Isn't that why I'm hiring them .... because they have the interest, skills and a functioning business already in place to do the job I'm hiring them for. Why am I supposed to do the sales work beforehand to hire, entice or interest an affiliate? If it's their business shouldn't they be the ones seeking me and my products - or you and your products? Obviously I have to make them available. Am I misunderstanding roles here? Nancy
Re: Entrepreneur Advice From The Masters - Well, this look like a good idea, I will drop by and get the tips, it is always good to have someplace, one get advice on business, and good sources comes in handy.
Update: Jigsaw - I like to do a lot of email marketing and have found Jigsaw to be pretty good. It's a little expensive compared to some other systems but they are very targeted. If you're looking to find the Vice President in charge of ______ at a certain company, it's a good place to look. good luck!


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How do you keep it together on a daily basis?

Why We MUST Reinvent The Wheel

SEO – Link Building Secrets

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.