Stress abounds. The coronavirus pandemic has raised many of our stress levels to the danger zone. We are unable to do many of our normal activities. We can’t hug our friends and grandchildren. And although I wear my mask faithfully in stores, it’s a constant reminder that things just aren’t the same as they used to be, and probably won’t be for a while. In the midst of all this stress, I found one book that provides great ideas to STRESS LESS AND LIVE BETTER.
Diane Sanford and I met some years back at a conference of Postpartum Support International. We hit it off immediately, and I got to know her better over several years of attending the annual PSI conference together. Her first book “Life Will Never Be the Same: The Real Mom’s Postpartum Survival Guide,” was excellent. So when I learned that she had published a second book, I ordered it from Amazon and dug in. This powerful book is only 125 pages, but one that you will want to read over and over. It gives 5 Simple Steps to Ease Anxiety, Worry, and Self-Criticism. Below are a few excerpts…
“Research indicates that human beings spend 80 percent time worrying about the future and 20 percent regretting the past. With mindfulness-based skills, we can learn to re-direct our attention away from these tigers within to quiet our minds and bodies.” I know this is true for me. I’m always thinking about how I should phrase a political argument, or worrying that I lost a friend because I spoke too quickly or sharply about an issue. Diane gives lots of mindfulness tips.
“The five steps to Mindfulness include:
– Simply breathe
– Soothe your body
– Savor the moment
– Settle your thoughts
– Self-compassion always.”
I’ve been working on savoring the moment. We have 3 hummingbird feeders on our property and a nice goldfish pond. I’ve been trying to forget about all my problems and just enjoy watching the hummers and the fish. Diane gives lots of helpful exercises and ways for “Note-icing Your Experience” via a journal.
“Gratitude is another piece of self-compassion. It includes feeling grateful for yourself and the wonderfulness of you.” The birthdays keep coming, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of regret – I didn’t accomplish this. I didn’t finish that. Diane reminds me that “Less is More,” and we don’t need to be busy and accomplishing something all the time.
This is one book that I want to share, but also to read over and over again. Thank you, Diane, for this little treasure.
