Spring into Healthy Habits to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

Spring has sprung. Birds are singing. Flowers are blooming. In case you didn't read my last post, it really is time to get outside.

Did you know that Spring Equinox is celebrated as the New Year in some cultures around the world? It is a celebration of new life and new possibilities.

Even on our calendar year, we are not too far into the new year yet. If you have gotten into a rut, or forgotten about any resolutions for the new year, this could be a good time to start fresh.

Would you like to have less stress and anxiety, and more peace of mind? Being outdoors even for a little bit is just one way toward that goal. I am a proponent of getting out in all seasons, in all types of weather.

But, if you do better in fair weather, now it the time to get out. The fresh air and light exercise can help reduce anxiety and stress. If you are intently focused on work, or stewing over a stressful event, a little break outdoors can do wonders to refresh you. You may start liking it enough to make it a healthy habit.

As you walk along, feel the sun shining on your face or your hair. Imagine it is melting away stress. As the sun warms your shoulders, imagine your muscles becoming more and more relaxed.

As you walk along, notice what metaphors come to mind. See if you can come up with thoughts that describe your surroundings, or how you are feeling in your body. See if new perspectives come to mind. Then you can get back to work, or whatever else you were doing, feeling calmer and more focused.

Warmly,
Kate

Kate Boswell MFT is a therapist in private practice in Marina del Rey, Ca. She helps people get past anxiety and fear, and take steps toward the kind of lives they want to live. She can be reached at 310-658-3158 or http://www.2bstressfree.com.

Reduce Anxiety and Stress by Getting Outdoors

If you are suffering with anxiety and stress, sometimes just a short break outdoors will help. Spring is almost here, and the weather is becoming more and more lovely. You may not notice it, though, it you are cooped up indoors worrying about your troubles.

Getting outdoors for a short walk can help in several ways:

• fresh air and light exercise is a mood booster
• noticing your surroundings can give you a break from worry
• it may help you reconnect with nature and your own body, so you feel less "spacey"
• the new field of "ecopsychology" is showing that time in nature is very healing emotionally

How to get started:

• start where you are, with a short walk down the street or around the block
• pay attention to sensations such as the sun on your face, or the breeze in your hair
• notice the natural world around you, even if it is only a tree on a city street, or a weed pushing through a crack in the pavement
• tell your worries you are on a short break and will get back to them soon enough

I hope these short tips have been helpful. For more information on stress reduction, see my website http://www.2bstressfree.com for a short article on three easy ways to relieve stress.

Kate Boswell MFT is a therapist in private practice in Marina del Rey. She helps people get past anxiety and fear, and take steps toward the kind of lives they want to live. She can be reached at 310-658-3158 and through http://www.2bstressfree.com