Learn to Relax
My Dad used to tell me when I was young that I need to “learn to relax”. I guess I was a pretty uptight young’n. Didn’t stop there.. I used to tell my roommates that they weren’t annoying, I was just annoyed. (at least I had a little self awareness that it wasn’t the things outside of me causing my feelings) My employees in the billing office even found a code for “irritability” and knew that they should wait till after 11 am to approach with any concerns in the morning. My newly wed husband couldn’t understand what my “motivation” for being so frustrated all the time was. I couldn’t understand it either. I had my “happy ever after”. I always wanted to be a mom and I finally was one! Why was i so grumpy, annoyed, frustrated, irritated, etc?! I finally got answers when I discovered life coaching and the secret that thoughts cause feelings. I’ve said that about ten thousand times in this blog this week but there was a time that i did not even know that. And that tiny phrase changed everything for me! I knew where the feelings were coming from so I wasn’t powerless in my life anymore. I could take full responsibility for my results and not just be resigned to “this is just how I am.”
Now I have literally learned, like my Dad always said that i needed to, how to relax. Relaxing really is the secret sauce to feeling your feelings. It helps you receive the message your brain is sending and let it pass through you. When you tighten up to the feelings and resist them, the persist. But when you breathe and relax, an emotion really only takes a few seconds to due its thing and then it’s gone. Till you think a thought that releases that emotion again but again and again just breathe, relax, get in your body, and feel it. And it goes away. Try it. It’s amazing! Then you don’t have to wait till 11 to feel better. You can feel crummy for a few minutes and then be on with your day. Magic!
“Love is one breath away” I’ve heard it said. And indeed it is. Any emotion is one breath away. The body was designed to be able to handle the vibrations that the mind sends but we disrupt this gentle process. We just need to learn to relax and let it do its thing. Breathing is one bodily function that happens automatically but that we also can take control of. So we can consciously help the body self regulate with something as simple as mindful breathing. Try it out today. Your body with thank you!
