Friday Fun! (Help Me Learn to Relax!)
Hello my lovely readers!
You guys. I have a confession to make. I am absolutely horrible at relaxing. It’s true! I have this constant drive to be doing doing doing and frankly my anxiety level tends to be high. I mean, I couldn’t even handle the low-key pilates a trainer had me do at the gym. No. If it didn’t hurt and/or make me sweat, then it didn’t count.
I mean, I can’t even watch a movie unless I am simultaneously doing something else. While cooking I listen to an audiobook or watch a documentary tv show. While blogging I listen to a new cd. I am constantly going and doing something even when I don’t have to. I mean, I willingly drag my butt to three different grocery stores for the best quality and prices, which may sound reasonable until you realize that I don’t have a car and must tote everything on my back while walking or taking the T.
Oh and this week I was this close to starting some seeds going in my kitchen at 9pm.
Anyway, what I would looooove from you all would be some suggestions on how the hell to relax in a healthy manner, because fuck if I can figure it out. I mean when I tried yoga tonight I spent half the session trying to convince myself not to start a fight with the chick in the back row whose ujjayi breathing was too loud.
Saying I am high strung is putting it lightly.
So! Please pour in the suggestions. I’ll wait over here.
Oh and btw I don’t have a bathtub or trust me I’d be lounging in one at least once a week.
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Opinions of a Wolf 
Er, brandy? That’s the only thing that works with me. 😛
*snort* I said healthy 😛
Stick with the yoga! And not just for exercise purposes. Go to a private studio or get a DVD that emphasizes quieting your mind as well as the poses. It takes a while, and sometimes you just won’t be able to turn off your mind, but after a while you will start to feel the effects. I have been recently, and I feel so much more peaceful and less stressed in general.
For a while I was doing yoga once a week at my gym with a different instructor who made the session more spiritual, which I enjoyed. Alas she switched nights and I’ve been stuck with the instructor who teaches us the names of muscle groups…..
But, if yoga really will help eventually, maybe I can finagle my schedule somehow to switch back to the other one!
That’s quite a dilemma – I used to think that every second had to spent “doing” something, but realized there is absolute value in “thinking” time. When in the shower, just let the water run over you and spend some time thinking, or not thinking; glass of wine (or 2) – helps me unwind & slows me down; just take the time – 10 minutes & do nothing. Good luck 🙂
If only my crappy Boston hot water system worked long enough for relaxing! 😛
I do, however, indulge in long showers and steams at the gym. Maybe I need to up the frequency lol.
I think we share this problem Amanda! Even when I’m physically being calm and relaxed my brain is still thinking far too much hehe. We both need to take a leaf out my boyfriend’s book he is chilled to the point of being frozen 😛
I agree with Tanya my me time is usually spent in the shower. I turn the heat up a bit and tend to sit down. I find there are no distraction in the shower I can just think, plan, cry, reflect, or do absolutely nothing to my heart’s content.
It’s the classic Type A personality. 😉 Makes for a great book blogger….kind of an intense irl person though, lol.
Yes. I have been like that all too often. I have learned to relax, but it has been a long slow process. I can’t relax my body unless I quiet my mind. Maybe others can, but not me. So I have used tapes and CDs to learn to focus and empty my thoughts. It takes spending 20-30 minutes a day regularly to train your body/mind. Words and/or music can make it easier. I use a variety of things; flute and cello solos where I can hold on to the melody, relaxation of differrent parts of your body, or meditation–Buddhist or Quaker style of stilling your mind rather than what mainstream Christianity means by that. I can be more specific if you’d like, but I expect everyone is different and has to experiment. Sounds True has a good variety of free and inexpensive options. Good luck. It is really worth the effort.