Stress has been part of our daily lives for a long time. From the moment we get up in the morning until we go to bed at night, we live in a state of continuous stress.

Every moment of our life is planned down to the smallest detail and we are in the race to achieve everything we set out to do.

Noise, pollution and little rest increase our stress levels.

Some symptoms are headache, muscle tension, chest pressure, tiredness, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, irritability, poor thinking, high blood pressure, etc.

Stress affects our state of mind, body and mind, so treating just one aspect will not achieve much if we do not treat the whole in a holistic way.

But, like everything else, if we do not realize that we are in a state of stress, we are not going to be able to change much in the long term.

To start reducing stress, it’s important to focus your attention on the present moment.

For this I propose the following:

Conscious breathing:

Sit comfortably in a chair and make sure your feet are touching the ground. If possible with bare feet.
Sit up straight with your shoulders relaxed
Place your palms on your thighs and close your eyes.
Notice the posture and the space that your body occupies in that chair. Notice the ground under the soles of your feet.
Inhale deeply, filling the entire lung, to the count of 4.
Exhale slowly, to the count of 8.
Hold your breath consciously for the next 10 minutes.
At the end, notice your body, the changes that have occurred and the decrease in the level of stress.

Conscious Movement:

After doing mindful breathing, stand up and start walking slowly. If it is possible for you to do it barefoot, the experience will be more intense.

You begin to walk, if possible with your eyes closed (as long as there are no obstacles to avoid hurting yourself), and you begin to realize:

Which part of your foot touches the ground first?
How is the ground you walk on?
What is the ground made of?
What part of your foot do you feel it with?
How does it feel when you step on the whole foot?

Now, you take another step and repeat the same thing with the other foot.

You can spend 5 minutes on this exercise. When you finish, open your eyes and see what changes have occurred in you as you walk mindfully.

Both mindful breathing and mindful movement will help you bring your attention to the present moment. Your mind will be “occupied” with the focuses of your attention, first on the breath and then on the sensations of walking, and in this way it will be in the present, without “worrying” about the “future” and the pre-established “plans”.

I hope you enjoy it and if you like it, share it!

Sanela