By Sylvia Luneau

Every day we are experiencing change! The warmer weather is ushering updates and news about counties re-opening and activities resuming. We are experiencing yet another social shift and calendars are becoming booked! Although we cannot control many things, we can help our mind and body manage stress as we navigate another new normal.

1. Journal break: Take a moment to write down what is happening in your day.  This may lead to introspection, organizing your thoughts, promoting action, or just releasing worry.
2. Take a Deep Breathing moment: When breathing out, breathe out to a count of five or six and pause before breathing back in for as long as possible.  Repeat for a cycle of at least 10 long breaths.
3. Make a cup of fragrant tea and use the scent as an aromatherapy moment
4. Look out a window to give your mind and eyes a break:  Like many, we are often looking at a monitor for many hours in a day.  Taking a break and exercising your eyes to look at objects far away can be soothing
5. If you have a pet, spend time with your fur baby!  Pets are amazing stress relievers.
6. Turn off your monitor and phone for 10 and read non work related items or fiction.
7. Take a brisk walk around the building or the block.
8. Take a moment for meditation:  YouTube is a great source of quick guided meditations, and Calm is a very popular app that has daily guided meditation lasting about 10 minutes.

I am hopeful that eventually we will be back in a work and life rhythm that holds less surprise.  Things other than the pandemic and statistics will be on the news and we will be back to celebrating and fun in social settings, and relaxation will come more easily.

Let’s look forward to the fresh start we are being given and find that happy place!