De-stress in three steps

Worried about giving birth? Being a good mom? Finishing the nursery? Stress relief expert Lauren E. Miller, author of 5 Minutes to Stress Relief, offers these  tips for decompressing  your mind, body and spirit.

Mind
As a mom, it’s easy to rise and fall emotionally based on the craze of life that is going on around you. If you are a first-time mom, wondering what your life will be like with a newborn may also create an occasional anxiety flare-up. Try linking your specific anxious feeling with a positive remembrance from your past. For example, “The more I feel anxious about giving birth and being a mom, the more I am able to remember I have successfully handled unfamiliar situations in the past and believe I am capable of doing it again.” When you make an association that works in your favor, your reticular activating system (RAS), located by the brainstem, automatically hunts and gathers information to back up your choice of focus.
Body 
The next time you feel overwhelmed, take a few moments to tap on your thymus, which is located 2 inches below the U-shaped dip at the base of your neck. As you’re tapping, repeat a mantra, such as “I have faith and confidence in my future and my ability to handle this situation. My future is secure; I am secure.” Repeat this statement while you tap for one to three minutes. Your thymus is like a major circuit breaker in the body that, when stimulated, creates a relaxing, calming response within the body.
Spirit
Align yourself with what you value most in life. When your priorities are clear, your decisions are easy in terms of how you spend your time. Stress is simply our perception of something outside of us. Move from the inside out.
For more stress solutions, visit stresssolutionuniversity.com.