| Let's face it, planning a wedding has to be one of | | | | Letting your breath out - slowly. |
| the most stressful things you can do. What's the | | | | 4. Distract Yourself |
| solution? Well, for some couples, the solution is to | | | | Take a moment to read something other than |
| leave town and elope. And, that's a perfectly fine | | | | wedding magazines. Read a novel. Put together a |
| solution. But, for others, a big wedding is | | | | jigsaw puzzle, or solve a crossword puzzle or |
| important, and something not to miss. For those | | | | Sudoku. Force yourself to take a break from |
| people, a little stress management is in order. | | | | wedding planning. |
| Whatever the cause, stress and anxiety can be | | | | 5. Use Relaxation Techniques |
| managed by some simple steps. | | | | If you can and there's one available, take a class |
| 1. Eat Right | | | | in yoga, meditation or self-hypnosis. These are all |
| That is, don't overload on sweets and other | | | | excellent techniques to slow down and relax. With |
| "comfort" foods. Why is this important? A healthy | | | | self-hypnosis, which is more focused and directed |
| and balanced diet can reduce the effects that our | | | | than meditation, you can program yourself to be |
| bodies experience when under stress. | | | | more relaxed during the day. While in hypnosis |
| 2. Exercise | | | | you can use an "anchoring" device (such as |
| Again, exercise can reduce the effects of stress. | | | | touching your finger to your thumb) combined |
| When we exercise we use energy, and this | | | | with a word, such as "relax" that you can |
| energy we expend can actually drain stress right | | | | program yourself to use in your waking hours |
| out of our bodies. How much exercise do we | | | | whenever you find yourself getting stressed out. |
| need to combat stress? Not really that much. In | | | | If you find yourself getting distracted during |
| fact, a simple walk in the morning of at least 15 | | | | self-hypnosis, and there are registered hypnotists |
| minutes can help reduce stress levels. | | | | or hypnotherapists available in your area, visit one |
| 3. Breathe | | | | who can make a personalized hypnosis CD for |
| You probably think you don't need to be reminded | | | | you so you can listen on a daily basis. Or, |
| to breathe; after all, you need to breathe to live, | | | | purchase a mass-produced relaxation CD. There |
| right? However, when you're stressed you're | | | | are many fine generic ones on the market today |
| probably hyperventilating or taking quick, shallow | | | | which will help you learn to relax. |
| breaths, when what you really need to do is slow | | | | Planning a wedding can be a special and fun event |
| down and take several slow, deep breaths. And, | | | | in your life. The key is to gain control over the |
| by deep breaths, I'm talking | | | | stress, rather than let it control you. |
| expanding-your-stomach kind of breaths. Slowly. | | | | |