How has this week been? Hope you took time to chew on the workshop material on parenting. Well this week as promised, we are going to discuss about stress coping methods and relaxation.
I discovered that it is very essential to be relaxed and calm to be able to function effectively. It is very difficult to solve problems, perform well and negotiate when we ourselves are stressed about something.
WHAT IS STRESS?
It is a perceived feeling of inadequacy of personal resources to deal with our situation. Stress develops when we see the situation/ problem as bigger than our strengths and resources. At the end, it boils down to just our perception. Why then, do we get so carried away by stressful situations? Why do we fail to maintain our composure during the same? Well, call it ignorance or lack of practice.
Well but it’s never too late to begin afresh and start anew. So, here are some stress- busting techniques just for you!
WE NEED TO HAVE A REGULAR SCHEDULE TO BEGIN WITH.
Include the things that you must do and want to do in your schedule. Keep aside time for exercise, brisk walks, jogging, swimming, anything that you enjoy. Keeping our body active generates a feeling of well being and energy. So don’t miss out on physical activity.
THE NEXT THING IS TO CALM THE MIND.
You can do this by regularly breathing deeply and thinking of all the positive things in and around you. You can even begin your day with a thank you list to God. You’ll be surprised there are so many things to write and feel happy and confident.
KEEPING OUR EMOTIONS IN CHECK ALSO HELPS.
Know when you are feeling overwhelmed by any emotion and reflect on the same- what causes you to feel like that? How does it affect you and others? What can you do to make it constructive rather than destructive?
LETTING GO OF PERFECTIONISM contributes tremendously to a healthy and happy life and relations. So this is a good practice with our spouse and children, even in- laws. Giving importance to excellence rather than perfection is an important lesson we arrived at in the workshop.
GIVING TME TO YOUR OWN SELF
It was agreed upon that we all need to spend quality time even with our own selves, to reflect on things, to indulge in our hobbies, to catch up on some fun, etc. So, we do need to make time for ourselves in our busy schedule of work and parenting. It is good to explain to your child why you are doing so.
MANAGING TIME WELL EMERGED AS THE KEY MANTRA FOR GOOD PARENTING.
If we are organized in our own work and decide limits on how much we can do in a given day and also leave room for some eventualities, we have dealt with half our problems already.
This discussion was followed by a live demonstration of one of the relaxation techniques. It was a 30 minute session of peaceful relaxation and positive visualization. There were two pregnant ladies present for the session too. They too felt very relaxed and positive after the session.
Well, this was the description of my workshop in a nut shell. Hope it helps as reflection material for happy and relaxed parenting!
– Kirandeep.
