In this blog I will go over 3 simple techniques that can be practiced and used as a daily skill to reduce overall tension, anxiety and elicit calm.  Having these practices handy when life happens, gives you a “go to” in the unpredictable circumstances of life.  It’s not an if, it’s a when as far an circumstances go, or life happening at an inopportune time. If you practice these or other tension reduction techniques, your ability to regulate your emotions and reduce tension will be a life skill you poses. You will be able to reduce tension and anxiety; allowing you to bounce back to the task at hand, using stress to motivate your actions verses freeze up or escalate with a reactive emotional response because you aren’t familiar with the feel of tension, or how to channel it properly or de-escalate it if necessary.



Try the three activities I am presenting for 5 minutes a day and see how they can help you reduce tension in your life.

1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a great way to relax away stress in each and every muscle in your body. The guided meditation is provided by the American Lung Association and is 6:22 in length.  For another guided meditation for 6:32, click here. https://youtu.be/1nZEdqcGVzo , https://youtu.be/utGa6rqzs3g

Here’s how:

·         Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and shut your eyes if comfortable.

·         Check your posture, relax the arms and hands in the lap/on the thighs

·         Take in a gentle inhale through the nose and let it go with a sigh through the mouth.  Hold the breath a few seconds, and release. 

Complete several relaxing breaths to start.

·         Move attention from the breathe to the body to release tension

·         Start with the lower ½ of the body, create deliberate stiffness and tension the feet, legs, knees, butt, and tummy.  Then let it go.

·         Notice the flood of energy in the lower part of the body

·         Tighten the shoulders, neck, face arms and back as you inhale and then let it go

·         Notice the flood of energy in the upper part of the body

·         Create one last deliberate tightening of the entire body – head, neck, shoulders, butt, tummy, thighs, ankles, and feet, then let go as you exhale

·         Let your entire body melt and relax as you continue to breath in and out

Use the GIF pictured above as your timer without sound.

Box Breathing or Square Breathing https://youtu.be/AOL3isokmY4 timer

This breathing technique can calm, reset your breath, and return it to a deeper rhythm to reduce stress, manage emotions and release stress. Imagine breathing around a box as you inhale and exhale.  The above link is a simple 4 count timer that you can use for your own practice.  This is a fun kid’s version that I also like that is a guided square breathing exercise. https://youtu.be/YFdZXwE6fRE 2:36

·         Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose while counting to four slowly while you trace one side of the box (you can also use a photo frame or a picture of a relaxing place as the “box”)

·         Hold your breath inside while counting slowly to four tracing another side of an imaginary box or the side of a beautiful scenery picture. Try not to clamp your mouth or nose shut. ...

·         Then slowly exhale for 4 seconds tracing another side of the box or picture.

·         Hold while tracing the last side, and repeat. Rounding the 4 sides of the box in this sequence.

Butterfly breathing scan (you can visit https://youtu.be/56_8aK3cLEA 5:15 for the video) Use the butterfly as a visual to scan the body and release tension. This is a kid’s version, but relaxing and cute!  I do it lying down.

Here’s how:

·         Lie down or sit in a in a comfortable place, have your back straight and body relaxed with hands in the lap or at your sides (prop with a folded towel under the knees or head to help support and relax the body as needed)

·         Feel the movement of your breathing in your body as you close your eyes

·         Think of a butterfly in your mind, what does it look like?  Is it light as a feather?  Heavy?

The butterfly can be whatever color you want it to be, any size or shape of wing

·         Let the butterfly help you relax as it lands on different parts of your body

·         Let it start on your forehead, it feels warm and relaxed, breathe

·         Then it floats to one shoulder, it is pleasant and warm and relaxed, breathe

·         Go to the other shoulder and let it float down your body to relax each part, breathing

·         You can control how quickly it moves, and take as many breathes as needed in each area

·         Let the butterfly rest on your belly and flap its wings for a few breaths

·         Then keep letting the butterfly go to other parts to create warmth and relaxation as it floats over your entire body