3 Ways to Take a Break From Life Before Life Breaks You By FestiTalker, Dr. Michelle Clay
You can’t take a break from life but you can give yourself a break and not allow life to just “happen” to you. As life “happens” and responsibilities increase, stress and overwhelm can ensue. Stress on a chronic basis can lead to loss of your passion, vigor, dreams, focus as well as adverse physical symptoms. But that’s not the end of the story.
“At all times and under all circumstances, we have the power to transform the quality of our lives.” ―Werner Erhard
I love this quote because it encourages us to use our inner power and resources to design the life we desire and not allow ‘life’ to break us or just happen to us .
1. Light
“You light up my life, you give me hope to carry on…”
“You light up my Life” by Debby Boone
Be mindful and intentional of who you allow in your inner circle. As the saying goes, “You are the company you keep”. During those dark moments when stress has overwhelmed you and you want to take a break from life, find your light. Sometimes your light seems so dim, you can’t possibly see the end of the tunnel let alone find your way to it. This is when healthy, nurturing and supportive relationships are important. When you are in your dark days, supportive friends and family can shine their light and help you find your way.
2. Lift
Find what lifts your spirit when you feel heavy and burdened down. Your lift can come from a walk in the park, healthy energizing foods, or an uplifting conversation. People of like mind and spirit can facilitate your lift or contribute a few feathers to help you spread your wings and fly. For women especially, one of the ways we manage and release stress is through what is known as “tend and befriend”. ‘Tend’ is caring for each other, especially young children, and ‘befriend’ is connecting with others. In response to stress, women connect and create social groups and “sister circles” to manage stressful conditions. According to research published in the “Psychological Review” Shelley Taylor et al. found that the hormone oxytocin may contribute to this phenomenon. Oxytocin is important for childbirth and breast feeding. But it also influences specific areas of the brain that contribute to feelings of relaxation, trust and psychological stability.
3. Laugh
They say laughter is the best medicine. Laughter offsets the impact of mental stress, restores emotional well-being and a sense of connection between two people. And all the health benefits of laughter may simply result from the social support that laughter stimulates.
Muscle tension many experience across the neck and shoulders when you feel like you are carrying the weight of the world, laughter can be the remedy for that. Laughter stimulates circulation and aids muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
Find a way to laugh about your own situations and watch your stress begin to fade away. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations, allowing you to take a break from the pressures in life before life breaks you.
To start the process of releasing stress and tension, download my gift to you "10 Minutes to Tranquility". This audio book offers simple and natural ways to release tension and find your place of calm and tranquility. 10 minutes is all it takes!
Yours in Health,
Dr. Michelle Clay
Dr. Michelle Clay is a speaker, best-selling author & Holistic Physician specializing in the release and management of stress and its associated symptoms simply and naturally. Through her company FREELIFE7, Dr. Michelle enhances lives by harmonizing all dimensions of wellness through wellness coaching programs to help stressed out and burned out professionals, leaders and exhausted executives discover their sense of calm, clarity and confidence to live a FREE life on purpose with passion. She is frequently called upon to give a refreshing holistic perspective on ways to release stress, recharge health, the mind-body connection and refresh mindset. She shares her knowledge via her YouTube Channel with “Mindset Monday” and “Wednesday’s Wellness Wisdom Pearls”. These video segments highlight how to shift mindset to ensure wellness success.
Why you should come to FestiGals and see Dr. Michelle's presentation at FestiTalks presented by Cox Communications:
When life piles on the stress of work, kids, health, etc., even minor inconveniences have the power to take control over your well-being. At that point, it can be hard to think that you'll ever get your stress under control again. During her 5 minute (yes, really!) FestiTalk, Dr. Michelle Clay will give you a refreshing perspective on ways to release stress and recharge health, enabling you to live a free life on purpose with passion.
Follow Dr. Michelle's life journey on social media for more ways to live a stress-free life!
Twitter: @DrMichelleClay
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmichelleclay
Instagram: @DrMichelleClay
URL: www.freelife7le.com
