Stress management

By: Annett Tate
As one year slides into the past, another whole new chance to create a better life dawns.

Was your holiday period all about buying party food, dressing up and before that maybe cleaning the house for good luck and to impress the guests? Many people have very definite rituals and routines that will help them see out the dust and grime of the old year. They make their homes beautiful and welcoming to allow new energies in.

Normally, in the work I do, I deal with ‘internal' solutions to help people move from stress to bliss, but there is something to the whole concept of energy in the home that really appeals to me and now that a new day and year has dawned, it's the perfect time to have a look at how your home reflects who you are and who you want to be.

We tend to be so connected to our homes that we don't notice what they ‘say' about us. So, try this as a Stress Management Technique... Go out of your home (even if it's only a single room), take a few slow, steady breaths and play a little game of ‘pretend'. Imagine you're coming in to your space for the very first time and it can talk.

No, I haven't gone completely crazy - I don't mean literally talk. If you walked into your apartment, room or house with an open mind and heart, what would you see, feel and hear? Do it now - walk out and then back into your space, looking around. What does it tell you of ‘you'?

What do you ‘see'? This is not a matter of personal taste - clutter really does increase stress, as does an environment full of useless, unused, broken and even dirty things. Letting go of what you no longer need means making space for something new. Having a clear, harmonious space doesn't just mean less searching and dodging, it also means creating inner peace and a free flow of energy.

Look at the colours in your home and the images on your walls. Even if you don't believe that they exude energy, you will agree that certain images have very specific affects on the subconscious mind. For instance, where the intention is to create a soothing, conflict free environment, it wouldn't be helpful to put up pictures of battle scenes. This example may seem very obvious, yet we often overlook the more subtle images and what they convey. When you look at the colours and pictures in your home, do they represent who you want to be and how you want to live?

What do you hear? You can't always control what goes on around your personal space - your neighbours, the road outside or your fellow lodgers - but you can decrease stress through silence in your home. Is the television or radio constantly on? If you don't have some external silence, then how can you achieve inner peace? Many people feel lonely when they turn off the background noise. Becoming comfortable with yourself in silence is a very important part of achieving inner peace. Occasionally, you could of course compromise and play some soothing, gentle music in the background. Or, if you feel down, get yourself some CD's of your favourite happy music and sing along. Let your home sound like a happy place; with a balance of serene silence and a bouncy tune.

What do you smell? Stale air laden with dust... food smells from days gone by? Or is it fresh, inviting and uplifting? Even if you live close to a road, find a suitable time to air your home for a few minutes every day. Open all the windows just for a little while and put your intention on letting out what you no longer need and letting in a fresh day that brings you new opportunities. Another very simple stress management technique is to burn some incense or essential oil in a lamp. But please, do yourself a favour and buy ‘the real thing' - pure essential oils and natural incense. Otherwise you'll just pollute your space with more chemicals and will probably get a head ache.

What do you feel? I mean feeling as in ‘touching'. Are there things in your room that you love to touch - a silk cushion maybe; the leaves of a healthy plant? What about a beautiful crystal or a piece of wood that holds a special memory? Stimulate your senses and soothe your mind by surrounding yourself with a few objects that really bring back good memories or motivate and uplift you.

Then, there is the other kind of ‘feeling', which is a most effective stress management technique - how many objects are there in your space that make you feel really good? How many are there that bring back unpleasant memories? And what does it ‘feel' like to walk into your home. Notice what you feel in your body and then make the changes you need to. The subtle sense of ‘feeling within' can often tell us so much more than the pre-conceived ideas on taste and style we often follow automatically.

And now, with all your senses stimulated and hopefully a few ideas on how to create a harmonious, energising home that is the perfect place for starting a brand new year from, I wish you a successful, energising and happy New Year.