This is Justin’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

The world is a chaotic and fast-paced environment. Finding time to get everything done on time with the least amount of problems can be troublesome and/or traumatic. Oftentimes, stress can continually build on your shoulders without you even knowing it. Once you slow down, you find that you’re overly stressed and struggling with anxiety. Have you taken the time to find ways to alleviate your stress, even if it’s the most minimal amount of stress? I have put together a few suggestions on how to help reduce or eliminate stress completely. Please feel free to try any of these examples out, but also leave me your suggestions and experiences in a comment. Your input may help another person deal with the stress they have been dealt!

Personally, I find music to be one of life’s greatest assets. Music inspires, educates, entertains and provides a medium for advice and relief. Engaging in the activity of listening to or creating music is a prime example of alleviating stress. It may seem simple and non-effective in the confines of your stress-induced bubble, but music has a tendency to sooth the soul; nourish your well-being. Stimulating your pleasures not only helps mitigate or eliminate stress, but also counts as indulging in leisure activity. What an absolutely wonderful way to enjoy your time, as well as entertain and ease your soul.

Another effective and self-indulging activity you can participate in is conversation. Be it with a neighbor, a stranger, a friend or family member, conversation helps console your woes and helps you forget what was stressing you out. Talking about what stresses/aggravates you is a good way to understand yourself better, soften your anxiety and build a healthy relationship with another person. Get to know another person whilst clearing your mind of what was bothering you in the first place. Once the conversation is over and you have let out the stress and aggravation, you have a much clearer conscience and can essentially get back to what you were doing in a much more focused manner.

Exercise is a popular and very effective way to abate stress. Simple exercises, medium-intensity exercises and/or vigorous exercise activities are tremendous ways to mitigate or alleviate stress. A walk in the park, a jog around the block, a hike in the nearest forest, a bicycle ride through town, a game of tennis and more are all ways that help reduce stress and enhance overall health. Whether you’re stretching, practicing strength training or joining others in a group exercise activity, the benefits you will receive from daily exercise are innumerable.

Relaxation techniques are a fantastic way to reduce stress, but also offer other benefits that will help you manage the challenges you face in your day-to-day life. Increased energy, focus development, lowered blood pressure, reduced muscle tension, increase in blood effeciency and more are added benefits of relaxation techniques. One of the main types of relaxation techniques is controlled breathing. Controlled breathing slows down your heart rate and helps steady the flow of blood and oxygen throughout your body. Controlled breathing is very effective at clearing your mind of unwanted thoughts and soothing your conscience of unwelcome stress. With so many things to do every day, controlled breathing can be used while you go about your baily business or practiced as a stand alone exercise. Another main relaxation technique is the use of visualization. Visualization offers you a slight advantage over controlled breathing, as it can be used in conjunction with controlled breathing to add a multiple dimension to your relaxation. Imagine yourself relaxing on the white sands of a beautiful beach, listening to the calm, soothing sounds of the water. Visualize yourself lying down on an extremely comfortable mattress which provides your body a warm, pacifying state of being. Revisit the quiet, serene locations of your desire and focus all aspects of your conscience to that particular thought. These visualizations will greatly help provide a setting for your mind to relax, your stress to dissipate and your personal well-being to flourish. Other types of relaxation techniques include meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, massage therapy and more. Regular practice of any of these techniques will give you the added benefit of stress management and allow you to face your day-to-day challenges with greater ease.

Finding your own way to alleviate stress is an important step in bettering your state of mind. Whether you are the type of person that finds satisfaction in working hard, exercising lightly, exercising vigorously, entertaining yourself, helping others or finding a medium for peace and serenity, your own process for stress relief is the best procedure. Everyone has different things that stimulate their interest and everyone has different things that agitate them. Understanding what causes stress for you and knowing how to alleviate that stress can help smooth the ride throughout your life journey. Always remember to indulge in the things you enjoy while following basic, responsible foundations that keep you organized and focused. I will leave you with a quote that has helped shape many of the decisions I have made: “The meaning of life is to give life meaning.” I am unsure of the origin of this quote, but I have heard many people speak variations of that statement. Living a life full of stress does not allow much time to satisfy your soul. Alleviate the stress! Live a fuller life!

• TENSION BREAKER!
• Healthy Body – Healthy Mind – Healthy Geek
• How do you Relieve Stress During Tax Season?
• Tips for Helping to Reduce Stress and Panic Attacks
• Busy Week in SF
• Home Ownership, Marriage, et cetera
• Busy Bees and Barrs
• Will it ever end?
• I’m So Worried

Had to be done.

Then again…?

Nah, it definitely had to be done.

Well, I’m not sure…?

Nah, I’m sure we need a tension breaker tonight.

Why are you talking to yourself?

Am I hearing voices again?

• How to Relieve Stress
• Healthy Body – Healthy Mind – Healthy Geek
• How do you Relieve Stress During Tax Season?
• Tips for Helping to Reduce Stress and Panic Attacks
• Busy Week in SF
• Home Ownership, Marriage, et cetera
• Busy Bees and Barrs
• Will it ever end?
• I’m So Worried