1. Meditation: is widely considered one of the best ways to combat stress.  It lowers blood pressure and reduces the stress hormone cortisol.  Take your favorite scripture...relax your muscles....breath deeply...and invite God to give you a sense of inner calm, focus, flexibility, and balance.

 

2. Work-out: Bring together your mind, body, and spirit.  Practice new ways of breathing, moving, and acting while you work-out.  Start with a class.  Move at your own pace.  Choose an energizing morning routine or a relaxing evening one.

 

3. Massage: When you are stressed out, your shoulders and nexk muscles become tight.  Blood flow is restricted.  The muscles feel sore.  Massage will help.  Think of massage as therapy and necessary TLC rather than a luxury.  Take a mental vacation and leave your thoughts for a while as you enjoy a massage.

 

4. Acupressure: By applying gentle steady pressure to specific points of the body ~ you can experience improved circulation, a boost in energy, and muscle relaxation.  Press a point located in the hollow just below the ball of the foot.  Apply pressure in an even, sustained way using a foot massaging tool or a thumb.  (repeat the process on the other foot.)

 

5. Laughter: Call a friend who makes you laugh.  Read a joke book out loud.  Romp with kids or pets.  This stimulates the immune system, increases natural painkillers in the blood, and decreases systemic inflammation.

 

6. Rest: Give yourself time to unwind is vital for de-stressing.  Find a quiet place to read a book or a window to look out of while you daydream.  Take a nap or a bath.  Take 10 minutes and give yourself a chance to feel calmer and find clarity.

 

7.  Aromatherapy: Whiffs of pure essences or essential oils can help you calm down, overcome mental fatigue, shrugg off tension, and sooth irritability.  It's believed to work because the same part of the brain processes scent and emotion.  Maybe you just need to get some emotion out of your head.  For calming effect, try lavender, chamomile, or marjoram; for refreshing effects try lemon, grapefruit, mint, rosemary, or pine.

 

8. Talk to a Friend: Have you wondered why things seem better after you talk to a friend?  It turns out that friendship is good for your health.  It lowers blood pressure, relieves anxiety, and may even help you live longer.  So vent if you need to.  Show your support through a smile, a hug, or a note.

 

9. Listen to Music: The day may come when your doctor tells you to listen to a little James Taylor before going to bed.  Listening to the music that you find pleasing increases brain ways associated with relaxation while decreasing the heart rate and blood pressure.  After a hard day, play familiar music that has an easy tempo.  Tune in to the soothing watery music of a fountain.

 

10.  Give Love.  The Bible teaches that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Come on in to Edgewood Community Center and volunteer to make a craft with the kids in Child Watch.  Enjoy some time delivering clothes to families in need.  Visit the Refuge of Hope in Downtown Canton and serve food to the men that are working hard to stand back up on their own two feet.  You'll find that the tension of the season fades away when you Give Love to those who need it.