Holistic Stress Management

Stress is what you encounter based on your perception of the stressor. Perception techniques are more around mindset and how you can change your perception to overcome stress. There can be many such techniques, which are more preventive in nature, to change your response to stressor. I cover two of my favorite techniques in this section.

I cover the famous circle of life, by the world renowned business coach, Mr Stephen Covey.  So much of our stress, is due to the fact that we focus our energy on where we have no control. If we are aware of our own circles of control, influence and concern in our life, we would be lot less stressful.

Whenever we are troubled by stress or anxiety, we always have three choices in front of us to get out of that situation. To able to avoid stressful situation we can either change our context (environment), change the outcome (result) or change the strategy. I appreciate it might not be easy for you to go after those 3 choices in every situation, but surely if you introspect you will always be able to identify the best alternative out of the 3.

Here in this section, I cover the various mental techniques that you can use to calm your mind and to overcome stress. I introduce you to three very effective techniques - Mindfulness, Meditation and Visualization processes which can help you in a great way.

Mindfulness based stress reduction is a proven concept and is being vastly used in health care today. This lesson is a brief introduction to mindfulness as a tool to help your overcome stress. Acknowledge, Accept and Affirm to yourself is the key to technique. So simple, yet so powerful. You will only realize its power, when you start practicing..

Here I cover an intro to meditation - the art of controlling your mind and calming that inner noise. There are so many different forms of meditation such as open meditation, focussed meditation, mantra based meditation, chakra based body scan based, visualization based etc.. It can be quite an intimidating experience for the uninitiated, as long as you do not go and start practice.

There are many forms of meditation, as I mentioned, and for the novice practitioner the exercise might seem futile and non productive. I often suggest to get started with guided meditation. There are many apps and websites with excellent guided meditation that you can follow. Here in this lecture I take you through one relaxing guided meditation for you to get started with this wonderful practice.

Below in the resource section, I have given you the script for this meditation. Go ahead and share it with your friends hopefully it will help them too.

I explain to you the concept of visualization - focussing all your attention and senses to a pleasant scenario, sound or taste. I demonstrate one relaxing visualization practice session to get you started, where in you visualize yourself in a peaceful and serene setting to fully calm your mind. The trick is to visualize by fully indulging all your senses - sound, vision, smell, taste, touch into the process so that you fully benefit from the experience.

It is important to unwind and relax by indulging in activities close to your heart and soul. This takes away focus from stress and helps you effectively overcome it. Yoga is a proven holistic technique widely practiced for effective mind and body relaxation. Some effective Yoga practices are mentioned here in the resources.

I mentioned a few Asanas in the graphic which I have found very effective for a full body stretching as well as for specific focus areas such as back and gastric area which are usually impacted due to long work hours at the desk. Another thing worth mentioning is the various types of Pranayama or breathing techniques that greatly help as holistic techniques for mental and respiratory health.

Two essential relaxation techniques are to pick up your hobby and to socialize with your friends or family. Doing what you truly love and communicating with your loved ones are such simple yet powerful mechanisms to overcome stress.

Hobbies such as music, art, gardening, hiking, cooking etc.. can help you relax and focus your mind on something safe and pleasant other than your stress situation. Spending time with your friends or family, or even a pet shall help you stay grounded and remind you of the human connection we share which will calm the noise in your head.

Deep breathing can be practiced at any time of the day or night. Just 3 deep breaths all the way into the abdomen and out makes a remarkable difference in your stress levels. This can be practiced just by sitting straight where ever you are. Here I take you through a simple and short deep breathing practice to get you started.

Similarly, deep relaxation technique in Yoga is performed in the Shavasana (lying) pose.  In modern medicine, this practice is similar to the progressive relaxation technique. A body scan of various parts of the body starting from head to toe (or vice versa) is  performed while observing and feeling the various sensations in that part of the body. This present moment awareness is a wonderful stress buster.

In this lecture, I explain about the benefits of physical exercise and how it can counter stress. If you are new to exercise, I also explain to you the FITT model which is widely followed in the fitness industry. With this model you can make an exercise schedule for yourself and make yourself accountable. Make sure you add different types of exercises into the model, so you actively look forward to your workouts.

Various types of managing stress. But again, it is best to combine them for best results and to enjoy a stress free life..

Congratulations and well done on travelling this far along with me...

If you have been practicing the various techniques mentioned in this course, then I am sure there must a positive change in your stress situation.  However, as a gesture of appreciation and a genuine interest in your well being, you can claim a FREE discovery session with me. Details as mentioned in the resources below..

Here is how:

1. Go to www.coachdirect.in/revive

2. Click on FREE Discovery Session to book your session

3. Complete the form with your details and your medical conditions if any

4. I shall be pleased to call you at your preferred time to help you in your wellness journey