The #BeUGals have taken on eating well and fitness trends to keep you on track to #bethebestU on your day. But, on top of the every day stresses of life, you are also planning a wedding {not an easy task}. Dealing with expectations and budget can cause your head to explode with unnecessary worry and then bridezilla may appear… uh oh! {Rein it in sista we hear U!} Breath. It may seem like a simple task, but many of us forget to breath and while you’re focusing so hard on controlling the uncontrollable why not focus on what you are fortunate to be able to control? Breathing. Enjoy your deep breaths and take note from these two amazing Chicago mental health professionals on how to maintain healthy mindset and ultimately #bethebestU.
We introduced you to Alisia Monrou, founder of Healthy Beauties in the Emerald Trend Alert. Ann Marie is a Usui Reiki Master/Teacher, Akashic Records Practitioner, Spiritual Counselor, Psychic/ Intuitive Healer and Energy Worker and so we have asked her to give you a few techniques to help you maintain your stress through the wedding planning process.
BE U: What causes stress to overwhelm us during the wedding process?
AM: Unfortunately, weddings can be synonymous with stress. Before attempting to deal with stress, you must address where it initially comes from. Stress is a product of expectation. Expectations that were either placed by yourself or others from past, present and future moments. The expectations of how things are supposed to work out according to your mind, can be pretty harmful to not just your day but to your relationship as well. And as I am sure that there are huge expectations for your event to go as planned, unfortunately it just doesn’t always happen that way. Stress is contagious and needs to be nipped in the bud quickly so that nothing stands in the way of your day.
Be U: What tips would you suggest to help control stress?
AM: Let go and relax.
Your day should be about you and your partner. There is no need for stress because in the end, it is a celebration honoring the two of you and the love you have for one another. If you keep that in the forefront, you will see how magical your day can be. When you do choose to let go and relax, you will see that everything falls into place just as it should. It is then, that you will be amazed by how beautiful life can be. As an energy worker, I have found stress to be one of the main sources of negativity in life. The saying “What you put out there, you get back” couldn’t be more true in this case. When a client comes to me with issues regarding stress, I share with them a few of my favorite techniques. Here is a breathing exercise to help lower your blood pressure in heated moments.
The Stress Reducing Breathing Exercise:
1) Relax your shoulders and straighten up your back.
2) Close your eyes or can keep open if in public.
3) Open your mouth slightly
4) Let the top (not tip) of your tongue, touch the roof of your mouth
5) Take a deep breath in through your mouth breathing into your diaphragm
6) Hold for 3 seconds
7) Breath out slowly through your mouth while the top of your tongue is still touching the roof (Think of how you would breath if you were fogging a mirror)
8) Continue you to do this 9 more times
This exercise helps with boundaries and actually blocks people from passing their negative juju onto you. Do these to excercises together and it will work wonders!
While we have only met Rachel a handful of times we are already convinced that she is one of Chicago’s best transplants from Texas {along with #BeU- xo} Rachel is multi-passionate yet singularly focused on helping people live the authentic life of their dreams. A life coach, yoga instructor, dancer, writer, event planning guru, and connection catalyst, she brings her positivity to whatever she does.
BeU: Why is it easy to let stress overwhelm us?
RN: Sometimes life is stressful. Okay, who am I kidding? Life is stressful A LOT OF THE TIME! Especially if you are trying to juggle a fast-paced job, committed relationship a healthy body, active social life and a wedding. Plans change, people don’t follow through on the things they are supposed to, workouts and precious hours of sleep are skipped. Inboxes are overflowing and schedules are jam-packed. Suddenly we find ourselves in one big ball of frazzled overwhelmed energy.
BW: How would you suggest to ease the stress?
RN: A 7 Day Stress Cleanse.
You already know you are not your best when you are stressed to the max. Yet, its so easy to fall into the land of stress over and over again. You’ve probably heard the phrase: “Where your attention goes energy flows.” It’s true. And the more you think about being stressed, well…. the more stress will find its way to you. If planning your wedding has caused doubt, worry, and fear to become the three friends you hang out the most with, you definitely should try our complimentary 7 Day Stress Cleanse. Clear out the limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns that keep you looped into stress, and start new healthy habits to create more time, energy, and freedom.
We hope that you take the time to utilize these tips above to de-stress and please, remember to breath during this amazing yet stressful time of wedding planning so you can be #thebestU.
“Don’t worry about a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right” -Bob Marley