Slow down, you move to fast, got to make the moment last. The words of the song have been ‘playing’ in my head for some reason. Now if you were to ask me the name of the song, or the rest of the lyrics, I would be at a loss to tell you that information.
The key note, so to speak, is the way that life sometimes seems to be so rushed and there are so many demands on a person. I want this… Or I have to go there to do this or that….
We all have felt that pressure, myself included. How to handle the stress from outside ourselves, calm the spirit, to feed the soul is the question.
I have always been one, even from early childhood, taught the message of keep busy. Do things. Don’t just sit and be idle.
As an adult have found that there are times when quiet, stillness is needed. It sometimes seems to feed the spirit. I spent many hours this year, and last year planting new plants, weeding, and then starting over again in a new area in the yard. Here I was as the birds were fliting in and out at the bird feeders while they were singing their songs. Despite the sounds of the birds, there was a quietness inside since my mind was not barraged by the television, the radio, or other people talking.
I wasn’t rushing to pull the weeds, it was a methodical task. It seemed to give my mind space to think, to relax. I was noticing the world around me as I pulled and sometimes tugged at a stubborn one. Butterfly landing on a coneflower, a hummingbird zipping by, and the squawking of Blue Jay in a tree in a neighbor's yard.
In some cases, when I ask one of my clients what do you do to relax or de-stress, the person looks back at me with a blank look. “I don’t know what that is. I have so much happening that I can’t take time to relax.”
Long term stress can be harmful to the body. De-stressing may help you manage your diabetes, blood pressure and other health issues. It could be as simple as taking a walk, breathing deeply, using visualization to see yourself as accomplishing a goal, get a plant, listen to soothing music. The list could be endless.
I still prefer pulling the weeds in my garden. I still go there for the “zen” experience that I found there last year.
So, from my blog, what is the one way you will choose to de-stress? Try it. If it doesn’t work, I still have some weeds in my garden I would be happy to share with you.
Email me if you want to learn more about the dietitian coach in the kitchen, if you would like receive information about discounts on the services offered, or you have comments about any of my blogs.
Juanita
