Time to relax....

As you are reading this I want you to breathe in, count slowly up to “4”, as you breathe out, count slowly back down to “1.” Say these numbers quietly to yourself as you breath in and out slowly. Do this several times, until you are ready to continue reading.

 

I usually picture the inside of Cathedrals when I relax. I know I am strange but hey I have spent a lot of time in peaceful Cathedrals, great places to think. This one by the way is of Sainte Chapelle in Paris, it makes you feel like you are inside a jewelry box.

Today we had a “clinical” so to speak on Nurturing the Nurse. It was fantastic, fun, and very relaxing. I would like to pass on the knowledge I gained from it to you to help you feel a little more at peace and calm in your life. Before we continue take the time to say one positive thing about yourself.

One of the main things we talked about was positive affirmation. How positive thinking can create an element of unexpected joy in our lives. It is the law of attractions in a way. When we look for the positive we suddenly see it everywhere around us. Sort of like how my Dad is very cognitively aware now of Mercedes everywhere on the road because he drives one  When ever you have an negative thought say “cancel, cancel” to yourself and replace it with something positive. A girl in our class talked about when she does this it has be something she believes else it doesn’t seem to help her very much. She talked about how she started out simple by saying, “hey I tied my shoes this morning, I can read that sign, etc.” So start small but start today and start noticing life’s little Mercedes surrounding you. Another aspect of this positive affirmation is believing in yourself, to the point where you can actually achieve a worthy goal. There are some rules that apply to this so 1. You have to want it to happen, believe it , feel it. 2. Write it in the present tense 3. No negatives 4. Put it somewhere you can read it daily and say it to yourself in the mirror if you have to. Here are some of my examples: “I am going to get As on my finals. I am healthy. Fit as a pro athlete. Money flows abundantly unto me.”
Another great thing I loved was how there was a question asked about when has the happiest time in your life been? The girl I was working with said, “ Right now!” I just love how she said that because we should be happy right now, live in the present and find joy in the whole journey!
“Retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated” D&C 88:124 I definitely do not always follow this counsel, some days are definitely better than others. Here are some top tips my teacher shared to help us get better sleep or sleep at all!
1. The best thing you can do is go to bed at the same time every night!
2. Stop eating at 8:00 pm
3. Allow for a 30 minute wind down period and do low stress activities such as reading.
4. Personal hygiene before bed, follow your routine.
5. Void, which is just a fancy way of saying go pee or wee as they say in other countries!
6. Put on some comfy jammies and dim the lights. This and following a routine helps your mind know it is time to get ready to sleep.
7. Exercise daily but stop before 8:00 pm
8. Avoid caffeine, and nicotine at least 6 hrs before bedtime.
9. Avoid alcohol even if it does make you drowsy in the first few hours it will cause you to be awake later.
10. Keep your bedroom only for sleep, free from clutter, at comfortable temperature, minimize bright lights, and play soft music if that helps.
Just to close everyone needs a little laughter in their life so here is one of my favorite jokes of all time( courtesy of a fellow Jamba employee):

“Why do Mermaids wear sea shells?” (answer at bottom of post)

If you would like more relaxation techniques or tips on sleeping visit the site below. They also have some recordings you can listen to that walk you through certain relaxation techniques:

http://ccc.byu.edu/counseling/skills.ph

Because “B” shells are too small and “D” shells are too big!!!