Everyday Calm: Relaxing Rituals for Busy People

for an on-the-go power mix. Herbal teas are an interesting and exotic switch from coffee. Are you weary? When you’ve filled your cart with healthful snacks, cool down in the freezer section with an all-natural fruit pop.
The first wealth is health.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Primal Therapy
Watching the game at a favorite bar is a tribal tradition. Gather the gang together! Get rowdy and unwind by cheering for the home team. Let it out after a long week in the trenches, and don’t be afraid to stretch your vocal cords. Decompress. Get connected to your primal energy. When your team scores, bellow out ape sounds from deep in your belly—“Hooh, hooh, hooh, hooh!”—as you pump your fist in the air.
On the day of victory no one is tired.
—Arab proverb
Restaurant Feng Shui
Just as you pick a restaurant that matches your mood, make sure that you’re seated at a table that sets the right tone for your meal. It’s worth waiting for. Feng shui is the art of harmonious placement, and it can apply to where you sit. When entering a restaurant, choose a table with comfortable chairs, a nice view, and a soothing atmosphere. Try to distance yourself from the heavy-traffic areas. Create a pleasant environment by developing a friendly rapport with your server. Before you eat, give thanks and gratitude for the food and companionship! Make a silent affirmation that this meal will be peaceful and that you will enjoy some good company. Taking your time and staying conscious of your experience is sure to turn a quick bite into a meal to be remembered.

nurturing nighttime
End the day as peacefully as it began.
Delightful Delivery
Comfort food with spice can be very nice!
When you want a unique dining experience but are too tired to leave the house, break out the fine china and order in. Indian or Thai food can be a treat. Request a mild sauce for a fiery yet stomach-soothing experience. Set up a getaway space on your living room floor. The comforts of home combined with exotic aromas are sure to send you on a mental holiday. Candles and calming music make the setting complete!
Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.
—Ovid
Instant P.M. mellow
These two anytime, anywhere gentle breathing exercises are great escapes from your hectic schedule. Before you begin, find a comfortable place to sit down and let go of your busy day.
INSTANT CALM:
1. Inhale deeply and slowly, counting as you breathe in.
2. Count as you exhale and make the out breath twice as long as the in breath was.
3. Don’t worry about how high you count; just focus on relaxing your entire body.
INSTANT PEACE:
1. Using your right thumb, cover the right nostril and inhale through your left nostril.
2. Place your index finger over the left nostril and exhale through your right nostril.
3. Go slowly and focus on relaxing your thoughts.
4. Repeat for eight to ten breaths, or until you feel relaxed.
Journal Therapy
After you have completed your business for the day, step out of work mode and into a more relaxed state. The main idea behind writing in your journal is to help you open up to your feelings and cast aside your worries. Pent-up emotion creates tension and confusion. After a busy day, writing down your thoughts can help you unwind and prepare for a peaceful sleep. Try setting an egg timer for five minutes and writing whatever pops into your head in that time. Soon you’ll find it interesting to look over your notes from the past weeks and months and see how you are changing for the better and gaining new perspectives. What you were once so worried about is now forgotten! To be a successful journal writer, be as honest as you can on paper. By opening up, you will feel a deeper understanding of yourself and a greater ability to handle your daily challenges.
Happiness does not consist of having what you want, but wanting what you have.
—Confucius
Lounger Levitation
During commercial breaks in your favorite TV show or the Big Game, hit the mute button, sit back, get comfortable, and close your eyes. Let your body levitate in your recliner, couch, or bed. Visualize your body completely limp. Take deep, long relaxing breaths. With each exhalation, allow the day’s stresses to melt away. Do a body scan, starting from your head and moving slowly down, relaxing your body part by part. Imagine that you are floating on a cloud in your living room. Take a rest; the world will wait patiently for your return.
The hardest work of all is to do nothing.
—Proverb
Closet Catwalk
Take a break from your couture savvy! Go on an adventure into your closet in search of something different to wear around the house. Relieve yourself of fashion sense and mix and match spontaneously. Dress up your divine self. By wearing different colors and outfits, you can inspire a deep inner creativity. Don’t fret—you don’t have to go out in public; this is purely for you to enjoy! A little freedom from style can help you unwind and get more comfortable after a long day. You may make new style discoveries and want to change your entire wardrobe. But if you don’t, at least no one saw you!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
—Margaret Wolfe Hungerford
Rub-a-Dub Yoga in the Tub
Take a step into the relaxation zone! Schedule a meeting just for you, your bath salts, and your bathtub. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil for a relaxing aromatic touch. Dim the lights, light the candles, and stop the action. Focus on melting tension away.
Help your muscles relax in the warm water by trying this stretch.
1. While sitting in the tub, brace your hands underneath your calves.
2. Place the soles of your