Stress Relief Center

Ever have those days where you got 8 or more hours per sleep but you still wake up exhausted and fatigued? Have those days frequently? This persistent exhaustion is often due to stress. Ever have nights where you can't fall asleep? You lay there thinking about everything going on that year and getting frustrated with yourself for not being able to fall asleep when you want to? Then you start thinking about that and how frustrating it is and next thing you know it's 2 am? Also due to stress. A lot of us don't realize it, but this regular cycle of exhaustion and insomnia is often related to high levels of stress. Now I know that telling you that won't fix the problem, but the first step is recognizing what the variable is that's causing the symptom. Stress is a commonplace ailment anymore... in fact it's almost like a competition. Telling a friend you're so stressed often can turn into a "well that's nothing compared to my stress" type conver

Running down the trail, you feel every muscle in your body as it contracts and extends, pushing yourself along. Focus on your breathing. In. Out. In. Out. Feel the air fill your lungs. Push the air out slowly, letting your mind drift into a calm state. Feel each footfall... heel, ball, toe, push off. Heel, ball, toe, push off. The muscles in your thighs alternate between contraction and extension, as it takes your weight then propels you forward. Feel your core, tight enough to keep your posture. Even the slight tension in your shoulders, keeping your arms in beat with your legs. Heel, ball, toe. Heel, ball, toe. Push off. The smell of the air around you is crisp and clear. Birds are chirping in the distance, water trickling down a stream nearby. Heel, ball, toe. Heel, ball, toe. Each step brings you closer to peace. Heel, ball, toe. Heel, ball, toe. Push off. The trail starts going uphill and you feel your thighs burning and your heart pounding. You're breathing a lit

Okay, I know what you're all thinking: "Here we go again, someone telling me I need to use a day planner to keep my stress levels low... I barely have time in the day to do the things I need to do, none-the-less to take 20 minutes planning out my day/week! Plus, who follows those things anyway?" Well, I'm here to tell you that you don't actually NEED a day planner to schedule your time better. If you didn't participate in the values vs priorities lesson from last week, I suggest you go back and take a look at that because it plays the most vital role in your ability to manage your time well. Once you've figured out your values and prioritized those, we can start looking at how you schedule your week. The things that you value most should be getting the most attention. For example, if you value family, work, and school, those should be the top three consumers of your time. If you look at your week and realize that the thing you spend most of your time