When you really think about to it, having some stress is actually good for you. After all, if you never felt stressed, you might never get anything done.
Stress is natural. It’s your body’s way of coping with demanding situations. It floods your system with hormones like cortisol and adrenalin so you can deal with whatever’s thrown at you.
It only becomes a problem when the stress you experience is ongoing. When there’s no let-up. When there’s no opportunity for you to take a break. And if you’re under that much stress, you should definitely see a hypnotherapist.
Fortunately, though, much of the stress you experience is short-lived. By the time you’ve headed for home after work, it’s often already starting to fade away.
And there are helpful things you can do to take your mind off stressful situations. Things like reading an enthralling book. Or going for a walk in the park. Or having a nice long soak in a deliciously hot bath.
But these things may not always work.
Sometimes you just can’t switch off because your conscious mind won’t let you. It replays the events of your day, analyzing and evaluating everything you’ve done. Buzzing away in the background like an annoying fly. Or an itch you can’t reach. It won’t stop on its own.
And that’s why it makes sense to have another trick up your sleeve. One that’s guaranteed to quiet your mind and help you shut out the world – even just for a little while.
So, what can you do?
Well, you could set aside 10 minutes and give yourself a daily dose of stress relief – using self-hypnosis.
The good news is, it’s easy enough for you to do.
You see when you visit a hypnotherapist, they’ll get you to feel comfortable. They’ll start to talk to you. They’ll find out what your goal or problem is. And then they’ll take you through a series of stages to help you tackle it – either using hypnotherapy or only hypnosis (a relaxed state of awareness).
Of course, when you practice self-hypnosis, you won’t think in stages. There is no goal or problem other than the need to unwind. To de-stress. To calm down and restore your body’s sense of equilibrium.
You simply practice the exercise until the whole thing becomes automatic.
And once you get the hang of it, you can do it every day… at any time you like. Think of it as your own personal “maintenance treatment” to keep stress at bay.
Here, then, is…
Your 10-Minute Daily Hypnosis Exercise to Unwind and De-Stress Quickly and Effectively
To make sure it works, follow the following steps.
1. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for a solid 10 minutes. Take a few minutes to get set up before you begin. Make sure anything that beeps or buzzes is switched off or put into silent mode.
2. Sit in a comfortable chair so your body can relax easily.
3. When you’re practicing self-hypnosis, you want to switch your attention from the outside to the inside. From the outer world to the world inside your head. One simple way for you to achieve this is by listening to some relaxing music. If external noise is an issue, listen to the music or sounds of nature through a pair of headphones. When you want total peace and quiet, the smallest thing can put you off. Even the humming of an electrical appliance. That’s why headphones can be so useful.
4. Close your eyes so you don’t get distracted by an imperfection in the wallpaper, or a shape in the wooden floor, nor are you tempted to look around the room or out the window – any of these can steal your attention. You want to shut out the sounds and the sights so you can focus your attention inward.
5. Concentrate on your breathing. The quickest and easiest method to make self-hypnosis work is to just focus on your breathing. Because breathing is something you do naturally, you don’t have to concentrate on it. It just happens automatically. So, when you do concentrate on it, it allows your conscious mind to take a break. It doesn’t have to analyze what you’re doing because you do it all the time anyway. So basically, you’re giving your conscious mind permission to chill out.
Breathe slowly in and out, feeling how each breath helps you get more and more relaxed. Every time you breathe in, you’re filling your body with pure oxygen. Every time you exhale, you’re releasing the stress and tension.
6. Think of a time or place that’s filled with fond memories. Where you were happy, felt excited, or in love, for instance. Or when you accomplished something that made you feel proud and delighted. Any time or place that brings back a strong, positive emotion will do the trick.
7. Feel what it felt like to be there at that time, in that place. See yourself smiling, laughing, doing the things that made you feel fulfilled and satisfied. Take note of any other people around you that contributed to the occasion.
8. Use all your senses to capture the emotions you felt at that time, in that place. Notice what you saw, what you heard, what you said, what you did, what you touched, what you smelled, and what you tasted.
9. See yourself back in that time, in that place, when everything was really good. Relive the experience in as much detail as possible, so it feels like you’re right back there again. Notice the feelings it generates. Let these feelings take over your body and mind.
10. When the images and/or feelings start to subside, return your focus to your breathing. Breathe in and out, slowly and steadily, and gently open your eyes. Give yourself at least 30 seconds before you get up and become active again.
And that’s all there is to it! Here’s the complete process in summary form:
- Find a quiet area to practice
- Listen to relaxing music
- Close your eyes and focus on your breathing
- Think of a favorite time or place
- Relive the emotions you felt
- Use all your senses to bring the scene alive
- Focus on your breathing and open your eyes
When you use this technique for the first time, it might take more than 10 minutes. But the more you practice, the faster you’ll get. Try not to worry about how long it takes you. Once you master it, you’ll be able to close your eyes and transport yourself in seconds.
Stress can easily build up and turn your body into a sort of pressure cooker. Unless you find a way to release it, there’s a danger that it might eventually explode. Don’t wait for that to happen.
Try this simple self-hypnosis exercise, once a day, and feel the stress melt away faster than you ever thought possible.
