Rewriting The Creative Soul

Stress Busting Tips - December 2016

by Ninjanerd

The purpose of this section is to help Guilty Pleasures' members explore easy ways to embrace the daily pleasures in life and to remain fully engaged and remain empowered as writers within our role-play community--winter, spring summer and fall, 365 days a year!

The shopping and crowds. The back-to-back diet-busting parties. The interminable chats with the in-laws. It's billed as the season of joy and laughter, but for many writers, the stretch from November 1 to January 1 is anything but. Here are 10 practical tips to help you regain your focus and get you back on the road to creativity!

1. Focus on your breath.

Your thoughts are directly related to your breathing. If you have a tight chest, worried thoughts, or feel anxious, chances are you are breathing too fast or too shallow. Slow down your breathing to balance your mind by inhaling for a count of 5 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds.

2. Cool Down.

Cooling down your mind and body re-balances your energy and allows you to take action from a more centered place. An ancient yogi technique to cool down your mind and body is called shitali pranayam. Open your mouth slightly, curl your tongue and allow it to slightly protrude past your lips. Breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. If you can’t curl your tongue, inhale through a round "O" mouth instead. Try this technique for 2–3 minutes.

3. Pause.

If you react too soon during stressful situations, you may say or do things you later regret. Unless you are in an emergency situation, your response can often wait at least a few seconds. Transform the pattern of immediately responding to a situation to take the time to pause, breathe, get calm, and gather yourself. Then respond verbally or by taking action.

4. Get out in nature.

Getting out in nature has an instant calming effect. Whether you choose to sit on a beach to hear the waves crash, walk through a lush green forest, listen to the sounds of a nearby waterfall or hike up mountains, just get yourself outside and allow nature to put everything back into perspective.

5. Mindfully exercise.

Exercise releases natural adrenaline and endorphins that make you feel good. Add more mindfulness to your workout by focusing intently on the activity you are doing. Observe your technique and how it makes you feel. Get connected to your body. This workout window allows you to get fit and even take a break from your stress. Head outside and run or cycle, hit the gym, or attend a yoga class. Working out during your lunch break also allows you stay more focused and calm when you return to work.

6. Silence your inner critic.

Think of a time that you tend to be critical of yourself. Is it difficult for you to allow yourself to make mistakes? Write yourself a note saying that you accept and forgive the mistake. Again, say it aloud to yourself: “I forgive myself.”

7. Use Laughter and Joy for Anxiety Reduction.

Do something kind for a friend or acquaintance. It can be anything from sending a link to a funny Christmas video, writing a letter of gratitude for a Hanukkah gift, or taking time out of your day to help her address holiday cards. Look for the humor in a situation that might otherwise cause you to worry. Anxiety might try to stop you from giving these tools a legitimate try. Go for it anyway! You might surprise yourself with what you are able to experience and achieve.

8. Take time out.

If you do find yourself in a situation where you've become overwhelmed, then don’t be afraid to stop, take a breath and take some time out. Whether its a day off to clear some mind clutter, or a week off to fully get away from it all, this is where tip one comes in handy – spotting and listening to your triggers will mean that you can take a break before it gets all too much for you.

9. See small tasks as achievements.

Set achievable goals for yourself, and start making slow baby steps towards them. Pick a clear goal to work towards. Is your local library hosting a new writers contest? How about starting a small writers group with your besties? Small events are great for ‘showing off’ a skill that you acquired, to voice the ideas that you’ve been thinking of and to motivate others to do the same.

10. Make a list of the most prominent ideas/thoughts that come up in your writing.

Make a point of spending 15 minutes a day to write/type everything that is going through your mind. What themes/topics/ideas come up in your writing most often? If nothing comse up more than once, take note of that too. Then create a separate file and record the ideas/thoughts that you found funny, interesting or just odd.