Calm, healthy and happy - Sounds good doesn't it?

Why then do we all struggle?

I see so many clients every week asking this very question.

Here are my top tips to help reduce your stress and manage you worries.

We all have day to day stress and worries but what can we really do to help ourselves and cut down our worrying thoughts.

Worrying can be helpful when it spurs you to take action and helps you to solve a problem. But if you’re preoccupied with “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, worry becomes a problem. Chronic worrying is a mental habit that can be broken. You CAN train your brain to stay calm and look at life from a more positive perspective.

1. Allocate worry time!

You know you can't stop worrying. The harder you try the harder it seems. So, I know it sounds silly but allow yourself a ten to twenty min worry time each day. That's it then, you are done, move on the rest of your day is for you.

2. When you do worry first of all ask yourself.

"Is it a worry I can do something about? "

If the answer is no, then try and distract yourself. Go for a walk do something you enjoy.

3. So it is a real worry? Constantly wearing you down.

Listen to it.

• What can you do about it?
• How can you do it?
• When can you do it?
• Schedule it.

Let the worry go for now. Action it at the appropriate time .

Our minds send us repeated messages/ worries and will keep sending them until we take action.

Even if you just write your worry down your mind thinks you have taken action.

4. Finally learn to relax...

Practice relaxed breathing.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath in... As you do this imagine the air streaming in through your finger tips up into your arms, shoulders and chest...

Then breathe out allowing the air to flow down into your abdomen down into your hips, legs and feet.

Practice this several times each day, because the more you can physically relax the more you can mentally relax too.

Today you have started to make a positive change.

You are on your way to a calmer, happier and healthier you.:)

Elaine Frazer, Qualified Hypnotherapist