One thing I have learned is that happiness, calmness, mindfulness and peace can happen in a heartbeat, especially when we know how to let go, detach and relax.

Relaxation therefore does not require big chunks of your time and can be achieved in as little as two (yes 2) minutes! Here are my top ten tips to de-stress in 2 minutes:

1. Count your breaths.

This is my favorite breathing exercise because it is fast, effective and will reset your mood and emotions in only 2 minutes.

Go somewhere quiet (even if that has to be the bathroom)

Begin to focus on your breath- slow inhale and slow exhale

Feel the breath rise up the body on your inhale and fall down the body on your exhale breath

Then slowly begin to inhale for 4 counts

Hold your breath gently at the top for 2 counts

Exhale fully (completely emptying your lungs for 6 counts

Hold at the bottom for 3 counts before taking in your next breath.

Do 8 of these 15 second breath cycles and you will have 2 minutes of breathing and instant calm.

2. Positive affirmations

Find somewhere quiet and focus on your breathing

Begin to focus on a positive and empowering statement. For example:

“I am handling everything in my stride.”

“I am strong and capable”

“I am relaxed and calm and focused”

Ensure your positive affirmation has your desired emotional state mentioned. To master this, think of what you want to feel and turn that into an affirmation.

3. Creative visualization

With the power of your imagination, take yourself somewhere magical and relaxing- whatever your happy place may be, visualize yourself there and feel the calm feelings.

Another great idea is to think of a goal or something you are working towards and spend 2 minutes focusing on this scene exactly how you want it to be, as if it has already happened. This can be done as you wake up in the morning and numerous times during your day when you begin to feel stressed.

4. Focus on calming words

Stop what you are doing and focus on your breath
Begin to become present of your negative or stressful self talk

Replace hat negative self talk with a relaxing word

Close your eyes and see that word on a screen in front of you.

Calm, relaxed, gentle, graceful, happy, and joy are all great examples

5. Focus on Gratitude

Again this is one of my favorite exercises because gratitude will instantly make you become aware of what you have rather than focus on what you don’t have or what is not working.

Stop and take 2 minutes to list the top 10 things you can feel most thankful and grateful for today. You can list these in your mind or actually write them in a journal for a more powerful exercise.

Each day challenge yourself to think of something new.

6. Focus on your solutions

When you focus on your problem your problem persists when you focus on your solution, your solution exits.

Stop and take 2 minutes to list all possible solutions and action steps you can take towards your perceived problem or issue.

Follow through on the great ideas you get in this 2 minutes

7. Relax your body

When you get stressed you hold all tension in your body, this in turn blocks energy flow.

Stop and spend 2 minutes relaxing your whole body. Use your breath to relax the muscles, letting go of any tightness on your exhale breath.

Start at your head, relax the face, jaw, throat

Relax your shoulders

Relax your arms

Relax your torso, feel your heart and lungs relax

Relax your belly

Relax your spine slowly from your upper back, middle back and lower back

Relax through your pelvis and into your gluts

Relax your legs all the way down to the tips of your toes

Hold the relaxation in the body for a few breaths before you get up and get busy again.

8. Let go

Letting go is an art. Here is a quick exercise you can do in  2 minutes.

As you inhale focus on the word let and as you exhale focus on the word go. As you exhale the word go, relax the body as you did in the body scan above.

Alternative: As you inhale and focus on the word go inhale all your anxious feelings into a bubble and as you exhale focus on letting go of that bubble and seeing it coming out your mouth and blowing away like a balloon blowing away onto the skyline.

9. Get into Nature

Get outside into fresh air away from the office or other people.

Find a great peace of grass, sand, a tree, water or beautiful flowers.

Take off your shoes and inhale the calming surroundings, allow the ions of nature to re-balance and re-calibrate your energy and relax your body. This can happen in 2 minutes

10. Laugh out Loud

Laughter is the best medicine and creates positive endorphin’s in the body which instantly shift stressful hormones and a stressful mindset.

Think of a time recently when you laughing out loud, take yourself back to that time and focus on it until it makes you laugh.

If this is a struggle and your stress is taking over, then become aware of your stressful thoughts and turn them into funny voices or accents until you feel yourself taking them more lightly.

Other ideas: Watch a funny YouTube video or speak to a friend who makes you feel great.

Allow yourself to use these techniques to be more relaxed and present during this holiday season which will help you engage more with others and celebrate the opportunities and the joy in front of you right now (and when you calm down, you will realize there is a lot of joy around you)

To your truth and freedom,

Cheryne