☺ Ways to Fight the "Blahs"! ☺

You know those days where you just feel like you can't beat that "blah" or that tension that you feel all over your body? When stress becomes a bit much to the point it feels like your entire body is constraining and needing to release but don't know how? Well, you're not alone. We all have moments when we are tense. So, what to do about it? I like to take some time to do as many of the following tips as I can, however sometimes you're just not in the right place or have the time to do it all and so any one of these exercises can help. Do all of them, do one of them, do as many as you can depending on your situation and setting. 

1. Scream and shout and let it all out… that's what it's all about. ;) But seriously, just letting out a good "RAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" can feel amazing. No one gets hurt and you get to let out a good shout which releases some pent up energy. If you're somewhere where you can't let out a loud "RAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" then go through the motions (in private or you might look a little funny) and scream your "RAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"  in your head and pretend it's coming out of your open mouth, feeling the release. 

2. Sigh out loud. This is a breathing exercise which helps to calm the mind. Inhaling deeply through your mouth and then exhaling with an outloud sigh through your nose. Yes your nose. I know it may sound strange but it absolutely works. Just plain sighing helps too. 

3. Dance your ass off! I mean really really dance and let out all that energy. Not only will you release negativity but you'll be refilling your body with positive vibes. If you have to start with an aggressive song then do it, but you're only allowed one angry song, then be sure to switch up your beat to something positive by the end of your dance off. ;) 

4. Happy List! Pull out that pen and paper and start listing off all the things you're grateful for. This practice is great for any time of the day and you can do this even if you're in a crowded space and don't really have the opportunity to do all of those noisier tips above. You may feel tense at the start of this list but by the end you'll feel much better and will have switched up your energy. If you haven't, keep writing down things you're grateful for until you do feel better. 

5. Meditate. Calm your mind, clear your mind and breathe deeply. Meditation is the cure-all for anything, just focus on your breathing, breathing deeply into your stomach, and releasing any thoughts that come to your mind. 

6. Stretch! Stress and tension get stored in your muscles and sometimes all you need to do is have a reaaaaally good stretch session. Feel out where your body is holding tension and hold those stretches for as long as possible. Push yourself into deeper stretches than usual, really stretch it out. It shouldn't hurt, but you should feel that burn. 

7. Go for a walk. Breathe in some fresh air and get your body moving. Again, this helps to clear your mind and empty out the negative thoughts so that you can refill with positive upbeat thoughts. Any kind of movement helps, whether it's a leisurely walk or a full-on run. If you're walking, say "thank you" with each step you take too, it's a very powerful exercise that can totally turn your mood around.   

8. Change your surrounding. Get up and go somewhere else. A change of scenery can help change your mood, same with doing a different activity, so try to get somewhere different, preferably outside and around as much nature and trees as possible. 

9. Get moving! I know, I already said to go for a walk and to dance, but really doing any kind of physical activity will be beneficial and I will largely recommend doing yoga! It's the perfect activity to stretch muscles out and get active and breathing. It's like a combination of several of the above! ;) 

10. When all else fails, remember that it's just temporary. Sometimes there's just nothing that seems possible to dissolve tension and it does you no good to dwell on a dirty mood. So, don't dwell on it and remember that it will pass, and the sooner you can stop paying attention to the tension, the sooner you will allow it to release and simply take it's course. 

When you've practiced feeling better and clearing up that tension then there is one last thing you can do to prevent it from returning and is always a good idea; Resolve! This is one of those tips that's more of an inward look upon your self and your life. Usually when we are tense or stressed there is a reason for it and unless we take a moment to analyze and take a look into what it might be then, chances are, it might return. However, over-analyzing can make it worse, so be sure to look gently at your life and situation and if you can't figure out where the tension came from then don't dwell on it! It will become clear to you when you are calm, not stressing over what it might be. 

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