The ultimate tool to release stress in 30 seconds

Are there moments in your life when you feel overwhelmed? Are your emotions collapsing you and preventing you from doing what you want to do? Are your stress levels out of control? Do you want to feel more focused and connected? Whether you are feeling this now, or you have felt like this in the past, keep reading, the tip I am about to share will be very useful for you. 

I remember many situations when I was feeling a lot of pressure on my shoulders and struggling to release this bothering tension from my body: before a big event, when a critical deadline was approaching, or before an important meeting.

I was aware that those signals my body was sending me were not helping me, especially in those moments when I needed to be ready and with the right mindset to achieve my goals. On the contrary, they made things more difficult because when my stress is too high, I become paralyzed, and ideas do not flow. Actually, I have found that many of my clients also feel overwhelmed and have difficulties to face certain situations, and most of them don't know how to handle them. 

That is why I am going to share with you one tip that I wished I had known before because it allows me to become present and release the stress in 30 seconds. It's an amazing tool that you can start using, too, anywhere and at anytime.

The next time you feel stress, fear, anxiety, or if you just want to feel more connected to the present moment, follow these simple steps:

1. Sit down on a chair, with your hands on your legs.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Take a deep breath in and hold your breath.
4. While holding your breath, tense every single muscle in your body: from your toes to your legs, your belly, your back, your arms, your hands, your neck, your face, your eyes... Everything. 
5. Squeeze all your muscles at the same time for 10 seconds.
6. Release the air and relax every muscle in your body at the same time while you exhale slowly.
7. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times if you want.

You will be amazed by how all the tension, fear, and stress leave your body immediately, and how a sense of calm and relaxation remains.

Are you wondering why this technique is so effective? Let's discover more: 

When doing this simple and brief exercise, you are using the natural system that is in your body to relax. When you are very stressed, chances are you are breathing rapidly, shallowly, and you are tensing some parts of your body. Both types of reactions are very common, and they are often ignored. When you are aware of this, you can take action and do some exercises to produce the opposite reactions and welcome new sensations.

Remember, if you want to know how you feel, you can check your breath and the tension in your muscles. And if you want to change how you feel, just change your breath and the tension of your muscles. 

Now it is your turn to put this into practice and enjoy the benefits of releasing stress to be more focused and connected. 

If you like this article, share it and leave your comment below sharing your experience! Contact me to know more!

Andrea Arcusa
PCC Executive Coach and Psychologist