In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an almost constant companion for many of us. Whether it’s work-related pressure, personal challenges, or the demands of daily life, stress can take a toll on our mental and physical well-being. Fortunately, there are simple yet effective ways to quickly release stress and regain a sense of calm and relaxation. Here are three strategies you can start implementing today:

1. Deep Breathing: One of the quickest ways to calm your mind and reduce stress is through deep breathing exercises. It’s deceptively simple and something we often take for granted, but breath is a powerful and direct way to influence your nervous system. Just pause whatever you’re doing, and take a slow, deep breath in through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for four counts, and then exhale slowly through your mouth for another four counts. Repeat this process several times, focusing on your breath and allowing yourself to let go of tension with each exhale.
2. Widen your Perspective: Instead of focusing only on the problem or issue that is contributing to feeling stress, ask yourself “What is everything else, that is NOT (problem/issue/stressful thought)?” Then, just give yourself a moment to notice what other things come into your mind. These might include other areas of your life that are much more pleasant, which helps you keep things in perspective. These might be different aspects of that stressful thing that you hadn’t considered, things that allow you to see the situation in a different way, such as the unexpected opportunities that can arise from a difficult circumstance. Just give yourself a moment to step out of that narrow view and notice what else is present for you in that moment.
3. Bilateral Stimulation: Pick something up, anything small enough to comfortably hold in your hand, and hold it out to the side. Move it towards the center line of your body, passing the midline as you pass it into the opposite hand. Take it out to the side with the opposite and and then pass it back across the mid line of your body again, back to the other hand. Repeat, back and forth, as long as it takes to feel calmer. Most people feel a real difference in their state within 60-90 seconds. This simple process helps open the channels of communication between the different hemispheres of our brain. This helps repetitive or “stuck” thoughts to process and release and also helps decrease psychological arousal more generally, leading to a more relaxed state.

Use these simple techniques as needed to feel more calm in the moments when you need to, and to respond with more clarity and resilience to those day to day challenges we all face. Also, the more consistently you use these kind of techniques, the more you actually proactively train your brain to respond in a calmer way to stressful situations in future. If there are deeper or larger issues than you can comfortably clear up in this way, know that there are many ways to release stress, repattern the old ways of thinking and responding that lead to a heightened stress response, and hypnosis can be a powerful tool as a part of that process. If you’d like to discuss your situation and find out more, you can schedule a free phone consultation here.