Have you ever just sat down, stared out the window at the garden, the sky, the water, or the trees and just emptied your mind?

- Stop and notice the beauty around you!
If you haven't done this, why not? Are you too busy?
Our minds are like a constant hamster wheel, turning and turning and turning. If we don't stop and give ourselves a break we can become easily stressed.
Once you get busy it carries you. School holidays, plans for Christmas, that dinner party you are throwing next Friday all get your attention, all take time to think about. Your daughter's soccer practise, your son's play, your exercise class, you find yourself juggling.
How about that business meeting on Thursday afternoon that you have to prepare for, the trip they want you to take that takes you away for a week. All these things are important. All need planning and thinking about.
And where in there have you given yourself any time?

- Sit and look around you, take it all in!
It never stops. Yet you need to stop. Take 5 minutes. You are just as important as everything else in your life. Without your health and your sanity nothing gets done.

- You can be free, if you let yourself!
So go ahead, close your eyes and breathe in and out. Think about nothing else but breathing.
There is something to be said for just letting go of your thoughts, relaxing your tense shoulders and just being in the moment. Your happiness can depend on it.
Make sure you are comfy, get a tea or coffee, put up your feet, don't answer your phone or even look at it. Don't send anyone any messages, no instagrams, no Facebook. For just 5 minutes, close your door.
Better yet, how about 30 minutes? Go for a walk. Sit on a bench on Queen Street mall and just watch people go by.
Give yourself permission to stop everything. It will all be there waiting for you when you return, and that is the whole idea. You will still get everything done but you will feel more relaxed.

- There are always new things to see!)
When you check online there are places to help you practise relaxing. Go here and search
How to Relax where you will find ways of helping you develop a habit of relaxing.
Meditation is based on breathing and focus. If you go here
you can learn to meditate it not only gives you instructions but some good reasons as to why you should do this.
It is that simple and that hard. Making time for yourself is important for you to function in your life. Everything in your world depends on you. Allow yourself a break and take 5.

- Miracles can happen if you allow yourself 5 minutes!
#stress
#health