Make a list... relieve stress

I hope you had a chance to go outside and do a bit of yard work on Saturday…. It was a pretty nice day here in the valley, and like we keep saying “Spring is around the corner”. Moving, breathing, stretching, starting a lawn mower?, digging out weeds?, raking up old leaves?, turning over fresh earth?.... it all counts as “exercise”… we are moving and breathing and stretching constantly when we work in the out-of-doors…. I love the warm weather, just for that very reason. Spring also brings a lot more physical work!...yep, more time outside, less time indoors finishing those projects, cleaning up, cooking meals, laundry, decorating, leftover office or (your job?) work at home…. We have more responsibility to get out there and clean out those gardens and gutters….much of this can bring on new and added stresses in our lives… we need to balance the work load, with the “play time”, with our exercise time (be it yoga, Pilates, cardiovascular endurance exercises like walking or jogging, or any number of strength machines we find at our local gym or YMCA), with family time, volunteer activities, church, community, travel, recreation…. Uh oh… the list is growing again. Remember to take time early in the morning, or late in the evening (when you can find time to just sit and think and sip your cup of tea, and without hurry, without pressure on)… to contemplate those things that need doing. Make a list… write them down… take some notes on a slip of paper… the proverbial “to do” list for the Spring…do this while you are calm and relaxed… while you can ‘think straight’…. So when times are harried and we face deadlines and anxiously scrambling to get someplace on time (and don’t forget to pay the bills)…we won’t miss anything. It really can give you peace of mind, to have a list/a note pad/a reminder page in your i-phone or blackberry. Don’t add to the Spring Stress… delete… make it easier on yourself… enjoy the coming warm months….Namaste’