3 Best Stress Tips For This Season

It is most definitely autumn. The weather has changed, gone is the summer and those glorious sunshine filled days, perfect for skipping. I didn’t actually skip this summer, it was more of a lovely stroll.

This time of year signifies a number of things for me. There are birthdays galore, it’s the beginning of my festive baking (Not just cake I’ll have you know, it’s time to get the plum vodka going too.) I always seem to have a list of things that need to get done before the days get really, really busy. There’s a number of pressures to get things right that come into play here, as well. Not necessarily put upon me by anyone else, but I do it to myself. I like things to be just so, I like things to be in their place. This brings me balance and harmony. However, I often find that I have reached this time of year and I am most definitely a little out of balance!

Stress is applicable in life throughout the year but it does differ. The obligatory family gatherings start to come up, workload increases and it can just get a little overwhelming and the stress can build up. So here are my 3 Best tips to help you keep stress under control this season:

Autumn Stress Tip #1 – Breathe

I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Breathing is vital, and so few people do it properly. So many breathe shallowly and your body just does not get what it needs from that breath. There are lots of breathing techniques out there, but one of my favourites is bubble breathing. Do you remember blowing bubbles as a child, or doing it with your kids now? The hours of fun running about with that little soapy pot? If you do remember, you know you need to blow in a certain way to get the bubbles don’t you? If you breathe out too fast the bubble mixture just splats out of the ring. If you blow too slowly the bubble doesn’t actually come away, but if you blow just right, you get wonderful rainbow bubbles that float. That’s the sort of breathing you need to do. No stressing about whether you are counting to the right number on the inhale, just good old fashion blowing bubbles. You don’t need real bubbles for this, but there no judgement if you do. Go for it!

Autumn Stress Tip #2 – Move Your Body!

I am not a gym bunny, I don’t go, and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I’ve tried so many different things and none of them captivate me. But, I absolutely LOVE yoga. I am a cranky lady if I don’t fit in a session each day. I love how it makes me feel balanced. I do advocate exercise, but I believe it is an absolute must, that you do something you LOVE. Life is too short to spend time doing things that you can’t stand. There are so many ways to move your body, try things out. Dance, run, go to the gym, cycle, swim, try boxing or martial arts, heaven forbid you have some fun, why not Play! The most important thing is you enjoy it, that way it doesn’t become a chore. It’s something you can look forward to, and it will help you let off steam.

Autumn Stress Tip #3 – Have a Clear Out

Autumn is inevitable time for change, the trees show us just that. I know there is the age old ‘spring clean’ but I really prefer this time of year to sort things out. First and foremost it’s starting to get cold and I like to hibernate inside, secondly, it’s a great time to be getting rid of things you no longer use and give to charities, or pop your bits and pieces on eBay. People shop more this time of year ready for December. Its so therapeutic releasing old things, you can be surprised how many items we keep a hold of that have negative associations. If you don’t need it, don’t use it, or don’t love it, get rid of it. I love to clear out my work space too, shred receipts that have been lingering, review anything that has just been lying around. I’m sure I’m not the only one who just ‘files’ things in the drawer, until you can file no more, and then have no idea where that thing is that you put there? Please tell me I’m not! I even take the time to go through my laptop. Archive off or delete things are no longer relevant.

Over To You

Having that extra physical space, ordered tidiness and de-cluttering is a fantastic way to create space for new. Just the same as having an emotional clear out is just as important. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there or it isn’t real. What can you start doing for yourself now?

In the next post, I am going to explain why now is the perfect time for change in your environment. Being resistant to change or doing things differently is why you are here, is why you keep doing the same things and feeling the same way. So now nature is changing, the signs couldn’t be clearer for you.

If you are ready for change now and need a little help:

Be Fearless

Kirsty