Summertime is for "letting go!"

 As summertime settles in around us, the inclination to relax and kick your feet up increases. This is a good time to reflect on the stresses in our current lives and find a way to "let-go" of them in a healthy and positive way. Maybe work has been creating extra "busy-ness" in your life, possibly the kid's school schedules have been a little too demanding, or maybe family interactions have become just a little too heavy. Whatever causes you stress, now is a good time to try some new relaxation techniques or create new self-care strategies that can become healthy habits because when summer comes to an end, our lives tend to ramp back up.

Here are a few ideas for slowing down and relaxing:

1. Slowing your breath – Close your eyes, feel your feet on the ground (or in your flip flops), and take a slow deep breath. Hold that breath for the count of 3 and slowly  let that breath out to the count of 3. Repeat 3 times and feel your body muscles relax. By slowing down your breath, your body can release pent up anxiety and help clear your thinking.
2. Grounding – Sit down in a chair with your feet flat on the ground and think to yourself "Where are my feet?" Concentrate on feeling your feet in your shoes, feeling the ground beneath them, and any sensations you might feel. Slowly work your way up your body, concentrating on each muscle group until you get to the top of your head. This technique can also help release pent up anxiety and tension felt by restricted muscles and bringing your attention to the present can get you out of your head and back into present life.
3. Creativity – Adult coloring books are quite the rage lately and they really have been proven to help people relax. The activity of coloring with pens or pencils helps free the brain from the task of worrying about life's problems and engaging in the present moment.