Christmas Stress Relief

At this time of year, many of us feel the strain and anxiety associated with Christmas. We are faced with endless to-do lists, often contrary, difficult relatives and the perfect present to find for our loved ones. It's a lot to take on.

No matter how grounded or organised we are, there is bound to be an instance when we want to disappear to a desert island with a bottle of rum and a good book - or is that just me? Sometimes we can't escape, sometimes we just have to deal with the situation as best we can and in fact learning to accept whatever life throws at us makes it easier in the long run.

So how do we deal with it? We may not have any choice about being in a difficult, stressful situation, sometimes there is no avoiding it. We do get to choose how to respond though.

I learned something in my yoga class this morning and it struck me as incredibly valuable. When you are faced with a difficult situation...accept where you are. It is what it is. Rather than focusing on the difficulty, without trying to change your mind, change your body. Breathe into your belly, focus your atention on a point about 5cm below your navel. This point represents your core, your centre, the middle of your being. While you do that, broaden your gaze. What I mean by that is rather than focus on a fixed point, extend your vision so you are noticing the peripheries. This simple act sends a message to your optic nerve which tells your brain to relax and hey presto, your body follows suit. It is impossible to be anxious if you do this...Try it. I did and I'm still a bit stunned at how easy and effective it was.

Merry Christmas