Ways to Relax your Mind

Today, we have a hectic lifestyle with busy schedules, deadlines, commitments at work and home. Naturally, we do not have the time to sit back and relax a bit. We have stopped spending time with ourselves. In such a scenario where we have almost forgotten our wants and needs, there is a high chance that we get stressed out. This kind of mental stress often triggers nervousness, panic attack, unnecessary worries, insomnia and a host of other health concerns. If neglected for long time, some serious health problems like high blood pressure may develop in future. For all these reasons, it is important that you learn about ways to relax when stressed.

Relaxation Techniques for Stress

There are some special techniques which when practiced regularly can help you to develop control over a stressed mind. A few such popular techniques for relaxation are discussed here:

Meditation: We all know, meditation has a calming effect on the restless mind. The best time to practice meditation is when you are praying. Or else, you sit in a quiet, comfortable place, close your eyes and focus on any one single thought. Thus you can discard all unwanted thoughts that occupy your mind and you will feel at peace with yourself. A relaxed mind then helps to loosen up your tensed body muscles. Practicing yoga and tai chi are the two most sought after meditation techniques.

Control Breathing: Under the influence of stress, you tend to breathe so rapidly that you do not exhale properly. It creates an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body which often leads to fatigue and depression. For this reason, it is essential to develop a control over your breathing. You can do this with the help of deep breathing exercise. You can sit anywhere and do this simple breathing exercise. Take a long deep breath through the nose, hold it for a few seconds and then release it slowly through the mouth. Repeat it for 8-10 times and you will feel relaxed almost instantly.

Massage: A full-body massage helps to release the tension and pain from the taut stressed out muscles. You can go for a massage on your off day or at the end of a tiring day at work. Deep tissue massage is particularly good as it can release tension from those muscle fibers which cannot be relaxed by any other technique. Make sure the massage is done by a certified professional only. Massaging with aromatherapy oils like lavender or chamomile has a refreshing effect on both mind and body.

Listen to Music: A soothing music relaxes the agitated, tensed mind. Just switch on your favorite music and listen to it once at the start of the day and once before retiring for the day. Slow tempo music is preferable as it helps in slowing down the breathing and heart rate. Many medical experts opine that music therapy can even lower high blood pressure.

Ways to Relax Before Bedtime

When your mind is overloaded with worries, then it becomes difficult to fall asleep. In this condition, you should try out reverse counting to relax the mind. Slowly count from 20 to 1 and you will be able to distract your mind from those thoughts which were bothering you and get a sound sleep. Taking a hot bath before going to bed is an excellent idea to relieve the stress from mind and body. Add some scented bath oil for better results. Write down about all your thoughts and emotions on a piece of paper at night. Thus you can have a better view of your life and the situation around you which will help you to get rid of the burden of worries.

Ways to Relax at Workplace

The schedule, responsibilities, and workload at the workplace can make you really stressed out. Some simple changes in your style of working and work environment can make a lot of difference. If you walk into the workstation and find that your desk is full of paper and other work related items, you are bound to get anxious. Organize all those things in drawers and cabinets and keep your desk free. Give a personalized touch to your desk by keeping some family photographs. This will make you feel good throughout the day. Prioritize your work as per their importance. Then you do not have to juggle from one task to another. Give all your attention to the work at hand which can become a kind of mediation in itself. Thus you can put in your best effort and derive a lot of satisfaction.

These are some simple ways to relax your mind. You can yield maximum benefits out of them if you lead a healthy lifestyle. It involves, eating healthy foods, maintaining physical fitness with exercises, improving physical posture and continuous self motivation. If you drink excessive alcohol or caffeine, then cut down on them and have herbal tea instead.

 Taken at : buzzle.com

My eternally beloved

Beethoven's love letter is very famous and often quoted in literary media as well as television, movies, and commercials.Beethoven was known to love many women, and as his friend F.G. Wegeler once wrote, "Beethoven was never out of love." The letter was found amongst the composers things after his death. It was not addressed to anyone (no address, city, name...) nor was it dated with a year. It is unclear whether or not the letter was ever sent or sent and returned. All we know is that it was written on the 6th and 7th of July. So, if you have not read Beethoven's famous love letter, you're in for a real treat. You'll get to see a side of Beethoven that you may have never seen before. To learn more about Beethoven, stop by the One-Stop Beethoven Resource page.

Beethoven's Love Letter

July 6th, in the morning
My angel, my all, my very self. - Only a few words today, and, what is more, written in pencil (and with your pencil)-I shan't be certain of my rooms here until tomorrow; what an unnecessary waste of time is all this--Why this profound sorrow, when necessity speaks--can our love endure without sacrifices, without our demanding everything from one another, can you alter the fact that you are not wholly mine, that I am not wholly yours?--Dear God, look at Nature in all her beauty and set your heart at rest about what must be--Love demands all, and rightly so, and thus it is for me with you, for you with me-- but you forget so easily that I must live for me and for you; if we were completely united, you would fee this painful necessity just as little as I do--My journey was dreadful and I did not arrive here until yesterday at four o'clock in the morning. As there were few horses the mail coach chose another route, but what a dreadful road it was; at the last state but one I was warned not to travel by night; attempts were made to frighten me about a forest, but all this only spurred me on to proceed--and it was wrong of me to do so.. The coach broke down, of course, owing to the dreadful road which had not been made up and was nothing but a country track. If we hadn't had those two postillions I should have been left stranded on the way--On the other ordinary road Esterhazy with eight horses met with the same fate as I did with four--Yet I felt to a certain extent that pleasure I always feel when I have overcome some difficulty successfully--Well, let me turn quickly from outer to inner experiences. No doubt we shall meet soon; and today also time fails me to tell you of the thoughts which during these last few days I have been revolving about my life--If our hearts were always closely united, I would certainly entertain no such thoughts. My hear overflows with a longing to tell you so many things--Oh--there are moments when I find that speech is quite inadequate--Be cheerful-- and be for ever my faithful, my only sweetheart, my all, as I am yours. The gods must send us everything else, whatever must and shall be our fate--
Your faithful Ludwig


Monday evening, July 6th
You are suffering, you, my most precious one--I have noticed the very moment that letters have to be handed in very early, on Monday--or on Thursday--the only days when the mail coach goes from here to K[arlsbad].--You are suffering--Oh, where I am, you are with me--I will see to it that you and I, that I can live with you. What a life!!!! as it is now!!!! without you--pursued by the kindness of people here and there, a kindness that I think-that I wish to deserve just as little as I deserve it--man's homage to man--that pains me--and when I consider myself in the setting of the universe, what I am and what is the man--whom one calls the greatest of me--and yet--on the other hand therein lies the divine element in man==I weep when I think that probably you will not receive the first news of me until Saturday--However much you love me--good night--Since I am taking the baths I must get off to sleep--Dear God--so near! so far! Is not our love truly founded in heaven--and, what is more, as strongly cemented as the firmament of Heaven?--

Good morning, on July 7th
Even when I am in bed my thoughts rush to you, my eternally beloved, now and then joyfully, then again sadly, waiting to know whether Fate will hear our prayer--To face life I must live altogether with you or never see you. Yes, I am resolved to be a wanderer abroad until I can fly to your arms and say that I have found my true home with you and enfolded in your arms can let my soul be wafted to the realm on blessed spirits--alas, unfortunately it must be so--You will become composed, the more so as you know that I am faithful to you; no other woman can ever possess my heart--never--never--Oh God, why must one be separated from her who is so dear. Yet my life in V[ienna] at present is a miserable life--Your love has made me both the happiest and the unhappiest of mortals--At my age I now need stability and regularity in my life--can this coexist with our relationship?--Angel, I have just heard that the post goes every day--and therefore I must close, so that you may receive the letter immediately--Be calm; for only by calmly considering our lives can we achieve our purpose to live together--Be calm--love me--Today--yesterday--what tearful longing for you--for you--you--my life--my all--all good wishes to you--Oh, do continue to love me--never misjudge your lover's most faithful heart.
ever yours
ever mine
ever ours
L.

Happy birthday Janis!

You've had a beautiful and unique voice!

Wonderful places in Europe

5. The Isle of Skye. Scotland

 

The Isle of Skye. By vtveen

National Geographic experts cannot be wrong - recently the Isle of Skye has been voted the 4th best island in the world by 650 professional travel specialists. 
The reasons it has been rated so high are clear. The wild landscape of Skye, the second largest island in Scotland, is dramatic, vibrant and breathtaking. The inland mountains, cliffs, inlets and endless beaches create spectacular scenery capable of amazing even those thick-skinned urban enthusiasts insensitive to the nature's charm.

 

Isle of Skye. By ZaNiaC

The island's population is very small, but old - it dates back to the Middle Stone Age. Today there are around 9,000 people living on Skye.
Skye's wildlife is not as diverse as in mainland Britain, but it is one of the wildest in the country. It is a great bird watching place, but other wild animals can also be spotted:

 

Deers. Isle of Skye. By Wallie-the-Frog

 

Crofter's House on the Isle of Skye. By revnancy

The Skye's history is extremely rich and the highland spirit can be felt in the air - folk art, traditional music and sports (shinty) are cultivated by the locals, some of whom still speak Gaelic.

4. Sicily. Italy

 

Cefalu, Sicily. By david.nikonvscanon

Sicily, burned by sun, permeated with the smell of wine, sundried tomatoes and the scent of history...this is an island where espresso tastes better than anywhere else in the world, and water seems to be unrealistically azure.
The island is inhabited by 5 million people, and the 25,700 square kilometers that it occupies make it the biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

 

Sicily. By alessandro pucci

Sicily is home to Mt. Etna, the tallest (3,320 m/10,900 ft) active volcano in Europe. Despite frequent droughts, the island is covered with vineyards and olive groves as well as orange and lemon trees.

 

Etna. By piotr.amigo

 

Between Caltagirone and Piazza Armerina. By Neil Weightman

3. The Swiss Alps and Switzerland.

 

St. Moritz. Switzerland. By ianlord

The Alps, the greatest mountain system in Europe, is stretching from Austria in the east, through Switzerland, to France in the west. This spectacular range, with its sharp peaks always covered with snow, is a stunning travel and sport destination in both summer and winter.
A big portion of this rocky cake belongs to Switzerland, one of the richest countries in the world, with a unique blend of cultures and people speaking four languages (Swiss German, French, Italian and Romansh).

 

St. Moritz. By ForsterFoto

The place that can hardly escape attention in the Swiss Alps is St. Moritz, one of the world's oldest mountain resorts. The town, backdropped by the magnificent alpine walls, lies at the foot of a crystal-clear lake and enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year.

 

 St. Gotthard Pass. By mikael miettinen

 

The Swiss Alps in all their glory. Anzere. By Robert Thomson

2. Venice. Italy

 

Santa Maria della Salute. Venice. By Ron Layters

Venice lies somewhere between dreams and reality. It is hard to believe that this town was built by man, and not by some magical creatures. Marcel Proust once said: "When I went to Venice, I discovered that my dream had become-incredibly but quite simply- my address."
This is Venice - the town of magic, dreams, fairy tales and beauty.

 

Venice. By stevewhis

The canals of Venice were constructed on an archipelago that comprises 118 islands. Around 400 bridges connect the town and therefore Venice is also called "the City of Bridges". The canals serve as roads for the gondolas and their modern version - motorbuses- to be used as the main means of public transportation.

 

Venice. By abmiller99

 

Winter in Venice. By law keven

1. Iceland

 

Iceland by Michel@

Ice, geysers, hot springs, rocks, glaciers, green hills and lakes... these are the features of Iceland - the second largest island of Europe, located in the corner of the continent, in the cold North Atlantic Ocean.

 

By taivasalla

 

Fossfirði.Iceland by visiticeland

Tundra covers around 60% of the land while lakes and glaciers take up approx. 14%. The climate is subpolar oceanic, wet and windy. Due to rather unfriendly weather conditions the island is inhabited by only 320,000 people, of which around 120,000 live in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.

 

Gullfoss (Golden Falls). Iceland. By taivasalla

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If the Shoe Hurts…

While there are many professionals that believe we should toss the high heels all together, others take a more fashion-friendly approach: wear with caution.

Dr. Benjamin G. Domb, an orthopedic surgeon at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, says that although wearing high heels can cause long-term damage (shortened muscles, bunions , hammertoes, nerve damage, hip problems), there are things us stiletto-lovin’ gals can do to keep our heeled feet happy.

“If you’re committed to heels, walk carefully and keep going to the gym to keep your muscles in good shape,” says Domb, who also notes that the smaller the heel, the more orthopedically friendly the shoe.

So what about wedges? Although they provide more stability, Domb says that because they still elevate the heel, wedges also “throw your hips into that sway or swagger,” which can lead to hip troubles down the road.
If tossing your pumps isn’t an option, here are Domb’s tips for keeping your feet (and the rest of your body) healthy in heels:

• Put on flats once a day for a little while to give your body a break.
• Don’t wear the same height heels all the time–mixing it up can give your body and muscles a break.
• Put your weight on the balls of your feet.
• Allow your hips to swing as you walk–this softens the impact with each step.

With this advice in mind, slip into your hottest pair and strut your stuff.

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