Hey, folks.

A friend texted me a graphic that said, "I could really go for some precedented times." It was one of those things that gave me a laugh because it was relatable.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I find that I have an underlying tension that runs in the background, whether I'm actively engaging with stressful events or I'm doing something routine and mundane.  

I've been trying to be more aware of this tension. I'll be sitting, reading through emails, and I'll notice my jaw is clenched. Or, I'll notice that the muscles in my neck and shoulders are tightly contracted for no reason. 

If I'm aware of it, I can do something about it. I wanted to share a list of instant stress relievers that I came up with, that work almost immediately when I'm feeling the physical effects of stress. 

7 Instant Stress Relievers

1. Take the dog outside. There's something about the playful, carefree nature of pets that puts the world on pause. 

2. Do a body check. Some people might call this a body-scan meditation, but that sounds more formal than what I do. This involves systematically "scanning" the body for tension, from top to bottom. I'll go from my head, to my neck and shoulders, out through my arms to my fingertips, down my back and torso, and down each leg through the toes. I'll look for tense spots, contracting and relaxing each muscle as I go. It brings an instant lightness. 

3. Adaptogens.  After the year we've had, it's natural that our stress responses are quicker on the trigger than they used to be. Adaptogens act on your physiological stress hormones and pathways to support a healthy stress response and to keep your feelings of anxiousness from going full-throttle. Through Friday, the adaptogenic formula that I helped develop is buy one, get one free. It's a great time to stock up on Adaptogenic Calm.

4. Throw around some weight. If I'm feeling tense, nothing works better than grabbing some kettlebells or loading up a bar to rep out a set or two of movements that target large muscle groups, like deadlifts or swings. These days, I'm less likely to do a full weight training routine, and more likely to do my resistance training in small, microworkout-style spurts. 

5. Read fiction. If I'm reading personal development or a biography, I get inspired or excited to jot down ideas and take action. That has its place, but when I'm stressed, fiction takes me to another place and puts me in a character's shoes for a while. It has a different effect. 

6. Hug. Hugging releases oxytocin, which is a natural calming hormone. The difference between the way I feel before hugging my wife and after is remarkable. If you live alone and are distancing, I hear calling someone to tell them that you care about them has a similar effect. 

7. Breathing exercises. You can find some great breathing exercises on YouTube. One easy one you can do is breathing in for a count of 5, holding for 5, and breathing out for 5, all through your nose. 

*To redeem, add TWO bottles of Adaptogenic Calm to your cart, and enter the discount code GETCALM at checkout. Offer expires 1/22/2021 at midnight PST. Cannot be combined with any other offer. 

#listentothesisson