Seriously, this last month I wanted two of me (or perhaps three if you include the one who just wants to ‘do tea’ and doddle in the garden) but I’d settle for two. I’m sure you have weeks (or months) like that as well when you just can’t figure out how to get it all done. Well there I was, mid yoga stretch (relax, breathe into the pose, let it go…) when it hit me, I could fret it or fight it but ultimately what I really need to do is simply turn stress on its head.

Relax and breathe into that daily stretch
called life.
(tweet this)

Most of us want to make our lives more flexible, relaxed and harmonious, but it feels impossibly hard to do that with all the daily pressures, challenges, demands, not to mention the constant time squeeze we all feel. Fact is, we cause lots of that daily stress by going too fast, cramming too much in, jumping when everybody else clicks their fingers, stretching in too many directions, way too many directions, and sometimes when life just gets in the way of life! (Like right now when I settled down to finish this newsletter for you all and the security firm arrived to test all the fire alarms! Ah Life…)

Now in the past my reaction to the pressure would have been to get all tensed up, annoyed and worried. In turn I’d furiously attempt to get more focused, work faster, add another task to my list (duh go figure that one!), in short dig in and push harder. Hey, that’s what made me the perfect Burnout Queen! Of course, none of this proved remarkably effective, instead it simply added to my sense of overwhelm.

I love the idea of breathing into life; deeply inhaling all life has to offer (yes, stress and all, that’s why it’s called life) then relaxing on the exhale while you let it all go. Imagine (no, seriously, close your eyes and imagine…) not feeling the resistance, not feeling the pressure, not feeling squeezed. Could it be that we could actually stretch further, be more flexibile, experience more flow in life and at the same time gain in strength and resilience? Now that’s turning stress on it’s head and that’s exactly what comes from accepting that life can be simpler, more breathable so to speak.

Imagine replacing resistance with harmony and peace.
(tweet this)

We can all stretch and reach farther than we ever thought we could without encountering the chaos and overwhelm of tension, stress and ultimately burnout. Take that full breath in, breathe out and let your body, mind and your soul fill and flow with new ideas, new dreams, new directions, or maybe a whole new way of being.

Be cool with life…

Here’s one great tip:

The next time the ‘alarm bells’ ring in your life do the opposite to your natural reflex of digging in and working harder. Stop what you’re doing, walk away from it and breathe. Everytime you exhale…let it go. It’s life.

Until next time…Grab Life by the Crown!