TIGHT BODY BOOT CAMP

Stress Free Daily Living

       15 Ways to Start the Day off Stress Free and Stay that Way

Man is that he might have joy?

No, man, woman and child are surely meant to have joy, and with it, inner peace.

"If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy,
not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work."
- Thich Nhat Han

15 Ways to Stay Stress Free Daily:

1. Get out in the sunshine for 10-15 minutes. Even if it’s a cloudy day, bundle up and head outdoors. The sun will still reach you.
   
2. Get fresh air. While you’re outdoors (preferably away from high density areas), take time to breathe deep. Visualize fresh air entering, and on exhalation, stagnation leaving.
   
3. Positive thoughts: Whenever I hear one of my athletes stating something negative about them self, I insist they then speak three kind things about them self. It works. Positive thoughts can change a grim situation into something very tolerable, which can then be dealt with.
   
4. Acupressure: Pressure applied on various acupuncture points relieves stress (built up energy), and soothes the nerves, muscles, and tissues. You do not need to be experienced to put pressure on points, just apply firm, even pressure in intervals that work for you.
   
5. Space: Stress collapses space. It makes one feel as though the room is shrinking. We all need space at times. Whether it’s being alone to curl up with a book, write a letter, be alone, or in a grander way, we each need to actually go to a location where there is plenty of space, such as hike a tall peak to take in the view, surf the waves and take in the spacious ocean, walk the beach, or simply, look up into the sky... be it day time or night.
   
6. Sleep more: The majority of Americans do not sleep enough, nor rest enough. Rest means, to relax the mind and body. Get a good nights sleep. Your day will become much more productive when well rested. You are better able to handle the unexpected’s in life when well rested, and your immune system appreciates all efforts on its behalf.
   
7. Eat clean: Eliminate sugars, excess sodium, unhealthy fats, flavored waters, energy drinks and so forth. Your body will save a tremendous amount of energy not having to deal with these items. Your organs will heal up and rejuvenate.
   
8. Eat organic as often as possible. Pesticides and herbicides mimic estrogens in the human body, causing hormones to become out of balance. If you cannot buy organic, use a wash to remove residues, or add a couple Tbs. of apple cider vinegar to your sink, add your produce, let sit a couple minutes, gently wash off and store.
   
9. Eat like a Rainbow: Get a variety of color in each meal, red peppers, orange carrots, yellow squash, green kale, blueberries, purple eggplant, and so forth. There are all sorts of fruits and veggies to choose from, switch them up.
   
10. Drink pure water: As clean as possible. Tap water isn’t what it used to be, check with your city to find out exactly what’s in your tap water. You can buy a straw that filters out pollutants, or get a system that filters water, or simply do your homework on bottled water. I’ve found Fiji water to be the best at present.
    

11. Drink herbal teas: Those of you who know me well, know I’m a Master Herbalist, and am always mixing some type of herbal concoction. Herbal teas have been around a mighty long time. Drink them hot in the winter, cold in the summer. Do a bit of research to find a tea that would be helpful for your particular issue, if you have one. If you need assistance, let me know, I’m happy to help.
    
12. Laugh: Laugh every day. I’ve gotten so good at this I can just sit and make myself laugh. LMAO!!!!! My kids think I’m out of control, but they laugh, too, and it changes the atmosphere in 30 seconds. Rent a movie, go to a movie, go to a comedy club, listen to a comic on iTunes, or YouTube. Challenge yourself to find humor in at least one thing every day, your child, your self, spouse, stranger, not poking fun, just looking at life a little differently.
    
13. Find time to be Carefree: Free from the cares of the world and your normal responsibilities. It doesn’t have to be an official vacation.... it can be a walk in the mountains, a swim in the lake, playing games or wrestling, etc., with kids, and so forth. De-stress DAILY.
    
14. Bodywork: Get a massage, soak in a bath, foam roll, ball roll, etc., loosen up tight muscles and allow the energy to freely flow.
    
15. Time management: Learning how to effectively plan our use of time can save one a tremendous amount of stress. We all know the feeling of ‘running late’ for something. Now, think of the feeling when you haven’t rushed and are there five minutes early, prepared. Like night and day. Plan your day the night before, be realistic. It’s not necessarily about quantity but rather quality. With poor planning one can be running around like a frazzled chicken and yet accomplish close to nothing, and what they did accomplish wasn’t enjoyable because they were rushed. Proper planning allows one to maneuver through the day, calmly, putting in quality, and making thoughtful decisions, yet they have the ability to remain flexible.
    

Life is to be lived to it’s fullest. Live with no regrets. Live with happiness and peace.
If you want to be happy, be.
                                      - Leo Tolstoy