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How to Relieve Stress with Meditation

Stress is a killer, we all know this.

It diminishes the quality of life. It adds a big dark custom-made cloud that follows us around, dampens our joy and make us feel like we need to escape from the very lives we have created for ourselves. And yes, we HAVE created this experience for ourselves and it can leave us feeling paralyzed. When we’ve taken on too much or we seem to attract one crisis after another, we can start to feel trapped. Sometimes we turn to unhealthy habits to cope: Drinking, smoking, drugs, or food. These little escapes, though they feel uplifting in the moment, actually create more stress hormones in the body, never mind the hangover. But this is life, right?

Many of us simply have complicated lives. There are mortgages, car payments, kids tuitions, credit card bills, alimony, child support, and so on. Even when we don’t have children and spouses, life can feel stressful.

How does one manage that stress?

All these factors affect the brain – the incredible gray matter that sits atop our spine, the multi-functional organ that controls not only our conscious and unconscious actions, but also our experience of ourselves and the world around us. Our perceptions are often born of chemical reactions, fluctuating hormones and the levels of neurotransmitters bopping around our brains…..all responding to stimulation seen and unseen.

There are ways to manage stress, of course, and brain function.

THE TWO EASIEST WAYS TO FEEL BETTER ARE EXERCISE and MEDITATION.

No!  Reaching for a cup of coffee and/or a sugary snack are, sadly, not the best ways to feel better. These indulgences will help for a moment or two, they will sate that feeling of depletion for a few hours, but in the long run they will only add to your stresses because sugar and caffeine boost the adrenal and cortisol levels in your body.

What is cortisol anyway? Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands and is needed for high stress situations like being chased by an animal or human that is threatening your well-being or life. This hormone helps refocus the resources of the body to allow heightened metabolic responses. Cortisol is necessary for survival, but is only useful in spurts. If it continues to be produced at high levels in the body – and chronic stress can cause this to happen – it has very adverse effects: it weakens the immune system, can cause high blood pressure, insomnia, and weight gain. It also increases the likelihood of depression, anxiety and mood swings.

Meditation is one way to alter your brain and help quiet the production of stress related triggers. Meditation, even 10 minutes a day, can have a profound effect on you simply by letting your mind and body rest, deeply. The benefits of such a practice can be measured scientifically. Deep, conscious rest decreased your body’s stress hormones (like cortisol), lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and increases the activity of the brain waves that induce relaxation.  It can even help decrease the occurrence of migraines.

And all this with only ten minutes a day. Try it….your body and mind will thank you.

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RONDA ENGELHARDT

Ronda is a Peak Performance Coach focusing on Life Coaching and the Mental Wellbeing of Athletes in her practice. She is also contracted through a large Division 1 University program to work with their athletes as a mental coach. She specializes in fear, pressure, adversity, uncertainty, removing obstacles, anxiety, doubt, recovering from injuries or setbacks, and identity beyond a sport or a role. She provides a proactive approach to the mental health of athletes and teams on wellbeing and the mental side of the game. Ronda is also an accomplished athlete herself and spent five seasons as a head coach for a Professional Women’s Hockey team in the Premier Hockey Federation, and is a scout for the Nashville Predators of the NHL.

Ronda’s education includes undergraduate studies in Psychology, a Masters in School Counseling and post graduate certifications in Applied Positive Psychology, The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ, and is certified as an Applied Positive Psychology coach, specializing in Leadership, Mentoring and Coaching, Teamwork and Collaboration. While Ronda has specialized in the athletic mindset, she is passionate about helping any person wanting to uncover what is possible and learn to use their mind as an asset for reaching their full potential.

SYLVIA HALLIGAN

Sylvia Halligan is a mind-body mental agility and change management coach. She helps organizations successfully lead and navigate change, make it stick, and empower individuals to transform into flourishing, thriving beings. Her personal coaching practice incorporates a blend of eastern philosophy practices backed by western science. Interventions include guided visualization, hypnosis, breath work, embodiment, energy psychology, positive psychology, and neuroscience.

Sylvia is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), holds certifications in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) and Applied Positive Psychology Coaching (CAPP), and is an ICF credentialed Associate Certified Coach (ACC). She is also a Prosci-Certified Change Management Practitioner and certified in The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ. Specialties: Leading organizations through change and making it stick. Guiding individual change journeys through holistic mind-body coaching. Teaching people to thrive, not just survive.

ANJALI IYENGAR

Anjali is a Holistic Health & Positive Psychology Pracitioner. As a naturally intuitive, compassionate, and deeply empathetic coach, Anjali creates an environment for her clients that allows them to truly understand the connection of how the mind and body coexist and relate to one another. Assisting clients in understanding the mind & body connection, how blocked emotions can reappear in emotional patterning or physical alignments in the body, and aids in healing through the use of various techniques, including The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ.

Anjali holds degrees in Communications and an MBA, along with post graduate degrees and certifications in Applied Positive Psychology, Integrative Holistic Health Coaching and Breathwork.ᵀᴹ

MARJOLEIN VAN DER KRUK

Marjolein is a trainer, facilitator and coach, specializing in Emotional Intelligence and Leadership. In her individual coaching practice, Marjolein works with people to educate and empower them with the tools from Positive Psychology, Self Compassion and Emotional Intelligence. Her work with corporations includes embedding innovative, human-centric mindset coaching, training and facilitation. She’s a Senior Leadership Facilitator for THNK, The School of Creative Leadership in Amsterdam, Netherlands where she develops global leaders in international corporations to unlock their full potential in leading themselves, and others, for greater impact.

Marjolein holds certifications in Emotional Intelligence and Leadership, Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) and is an Applied Positive Psychology coach. She is also trained in Self Compassion, through the thought leader in this space, Kristen Neff, and is certified in The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ. Marjolein holds a Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences and Post Graduate degrees in Management and Positive Psychology.