On this International Stress Awareness Day, I talk about a very specific manifestation of stress, namely overwhelm, often due to low doses of constantly present, chronic stress, which ultimately can lead to anxiety, depression, compassion fatigue, burnout, and other stress-related illnesses. Reach out if you struggle: https://calendly.com/sophrosolutions/have-a-one-on-one-with-me

Wouldn't it be nice to give your mind a break and put it on pause? Forcing yourself not to think is almost impossible. According to research by Dr. Fred Luskin of Stanford University, a human being can have around 60,000 thoughts per day—and 90% of these are repetitive. And 70% to 80% of those are negative! Here's a short guided exercise to stop the chatter.

Are you dreading the new work week? Having dealt with the Sunday scaries, have you fallen straight into the Monday blues? Here's what you need to start the week with an energy boost to help you through the upcoming week! The phrase "Monday Blues" is a common expression used to describe the feelings of stress or sadness that some people experience at the beginning of the workweek. But even if you are not stressed or sad, there are several reasons why our energy levels might drop on a Monday: Weekend habits: On weekends, we often stay up late and indulge in activities that can disrupt our sleep schedules. As a result, we may wake up feeling groggy and tired on Monday. Work-related stress: Stress and anxiety related to our job can manifest as physical fatigue. Lack of exercise: If you are less active on the weekends (sleeping in, binge-watching series, etc), your body may have a harder time starting up again on Monday. Poor nutrition: We may be more likely to indulge in junk food or alcohol, which can lead to sluggishness and fatigue Change in routine: Going back to work or school after a weekend can be a jarring change in routine, which can take a toll on energy levels. Not everyone experiences a drop in energy levels on Mondays, and the reasons for fatigue can vary from person to person. Some people may enjoy the structure and routine of the workweek, or may simply not experience the same negative emotions associated with Mondays. Making healthy lifestyle choices, such as getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, taking breaks, relaxing the mind, and eating a balanced diet, can help combat fatigue regardless of the day of the week. #synchronizedbreathing #sophrology #mindfulness #mindfulmonday #mondayblues #sundayscaries #stressrelease #rechargefortheweek #energymeditation #visualizationexercise

We are not made to be "on" 24/7. Tight deadlines at work, commuting home in heavy traffic, screaming children... wouldn't it be great if we could retreat and escape when the pressure starts to build up? This guided mindful Sophrology practice for self-protection and inner peace called The Protective Bubble is a visualisation technique for when you're feeling exhausted or overwhelmed, when you feel influenced by negativity coming from others, or when your inner critic doesn't leave your mind at rest. Or you can use this technique to simply take a moment for yourself, and retreat from the stress of daily life, weighing you down. It can also be used as a tool for #emotionalregulation by giving you time to think before you react, to manage energy levels in #burnoutprevention or healing, for #settinghealthyboundaries in relation to the outside world, to reinforce #resilience, and to fall asleep. The practice starts at 3:40' #creatingcalm #mindfulness #sophrology #anxiety #retreat #visualization #positivepsychology

Performance anxiety can be absolutely crippling. It has nothing to do with how smart or well-prepared we are, it is all about feeling vulnerable and stressed about having to prove yourself to others, and being afraid to fail. Anxiety is a feeling, secondary to the emotion of fear. A feeling is an emotion, to which we have attached a meaning, a thought, and a belief. I am #anxious because I am afraid (#emotion) that I will fail or not obtain my goal (#negativethought) because I am not good or smart enough (#limitingbelief). This kind of self-induced pressure (the « I have to slay this or else ») makes our "fight-or-flight" mechanism kick in, resulting in physical symptoms like sweating, stomach pains, trembling, a fast pounding heart, rapid breathing,  etc. In this podcast, you will find a guided anxiety relaxation meditation (starting at 7'45 ), to help you back to calm. There are many different ways in which #Sophrology, #CBT, and #Mindfulness can help us with #performanceanxiety. You are very welcome to connect if you'd like to find out more.

Knowing that 60% of resolutions don't even make it through the first month and only 9 % of people successfully keep their resolutions, why not do things differently this year? Instead of forcing ourselves to completely change ourselves to become better, let's first try letting go of what's getting in our way to live a satisfied and fulfilled life. Meet the person you would like to be, with the qualities and capabilities that fit your values. And then set an intention, to become that person, one baby step at a time, by finding the right tools and the support you need to do that. In this guided practice, combining mindfulness and sophrology I will help you release what no longer serves you and visualize a future self that feels authentic. #authenticself #lettinggo #releasinganxiety #newbeginnings #intentionsetting #peerpressure #sophrology #mindfulness #hotairballoon #lâcherprise

Emotions shape our lives in powerful ways, they give us the ability to feel and experience the world around us. They influence us on many different levels and are closely linked to our thoughts, behaviors, and overall mental health. With everything that has been going on in the world and in our lives lately, emotions can spin out of control. Whether provoked by an argument, feelings of professional or personal failure, or concerns, about our financial situation, our loved ones, or our future, our emotions can lead us to do or say things in the heat of the moment that we may later regret.  Emotional regulation is the ability to manage our emotional responses. It is a skill we can learn and improve with practice. In this podcast, I'll guide you through the first step.  Managing our emotions is not a let's make life easier for the people in our environment kind of thing, most of the benefits are for us. Strong emotional intelligence, awareness and regulation skills will improve your long-term wellbeing, boost your confidence, enrich your personal relationships, give you better coping strategies, increase work performance, enhance your resilience and distress tolerance and lead to better overall health. #emotionregulation #emotionmanagement #distresstolerance #mentalhealth #workplacewellbeing #wellnessatwork #sophrology #emotionalawareness #CBT #DBT #resilience #selfesteem #selfawareness #consciousliving 

Studies show a direct correlation between authenticity and mental health. Authenticity is linked to lower levels of anxiety, depression, and loss of behavioral and emotional control. People who cannot live from a true place of authenticity, have higher stress levels created in their minds and bodies. Being our true self leads to higher levels of happiness and fulfillment. I have seen from personal experience how detrimental not being able to live an authentic life can be. "Just be you" may seem simple, but for a lot of people, it is not.  That's why you will find a guided meditation to reconnect with your Authentic Self, starting at 5.25.  { 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦’𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧𝘴 ; 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 } #authenticity #healthyboundaries #depression #emotionalregulation #mentalhealth #anxiety #stress #trueself #diversity #inclusivity 

Going back to school after the holidays is not always easy, especially when the whole world is still in turmoil. Children face numerous daily stressors that can negatively affect their learning and development. Unlike many of the colleagues in my area, I love working with children (and adolescents). They are just tiny humans, pretty much suffering from the same basic fears, doubts, and stressors as we do.   And even though the form of those fears and stressors may be different, the way they are able to describe their expression in the body is no different from the way adults describe accumulated tension; heart palpitations, pressure on the chest, stomach aches, tummy upsets.  Performing this mindfulness practice together, in an unforced, casual, fun way, will help them connect with their body, discover where negative emotions and feelings are stored, and relax from head to toe. Multiple studies have shown that practicing mindfulness (to increase self- and body awareness) improves children's attention span, motor skills, resilience to stress, self-esteem, and well-being.  This practice only takes 10 to 15 minutes, and it is a great family bonding experience.   #mindfulness #bodyscan #mindfulnessforkids #sophrology #backtoschool #emotionmanagementforkids #stressreduction #familytime 

When I first started meditating over 15 years ago, I had the hardest time not having all kinds of thoughts running through my mind. The harder I tried to stop the distracting thoughts the louder their voices became. The same thing happens when we are stressed and try to repress our worries, we fall into the trap of rumination. It is one of the issues that my clients mention all the time - how can I stop my (negative) thinking? There are many tools and practices available in Mindfulness, Sophrology, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help us with automatic negative thoughts. In this podcast, I offer a guided meditation and a tool at the same time to help you observe your thoughts, distance yourself from them, and let them go. #rumination #lettinggo #calmyourmind #pause #negativethoughts #automaticpilot #observe #meditationpractice