Relax, take it easy!
Besides all the effort we make during life, it is important not to forget to relax. What exactly is relaxing and what are my tips therein to help you get rid of daily problems, drudgery, stress and the like? In this day and age it is very “normal” to want and expect a lot from yourself, unfortunately the result of this is that in recent years the number of people with overexertion symptoms has increased dramatically. In 2019, the website publichealth.info indicates that two-thirds of work-related occupational illnesses involve burnout. An estimated 254,400 people have been diagnosed with burnout by general practitioners in the Netherlands. The pressure of work, performance pressure and also one’s own expectations and always having to do something without having a good outlet in return may have something to do with this. Fortunately, one of the best ways to ‘relax’ is exercising! These days with all the streaming services like Netflix it’s easy to collapse on the couch, not a bad idea but try something different like going for a walk, reading books or simply putting on music. And by music, I don’t mean the radio with all the raging commercials in between but putting on a CD or record yourself via Spotify, Youtube or ‘old fashioned’ and really listening to the music. Release your imagination, waltz along to the melodies and see where your thoughts can take you. For me, the song by Funcadelic – Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts is one that I can really get lost in. You can always ask me what I’m listening to if you’re curious about more! Following that, playing an instrument can also provide peace of mind and allow the daily worries to be put aside for a while. If you can’t do it, no problem! You are never too old to learn. Sometimes it is even nice when you notice that thoughts are constantly going through your head to write it down on paper. This helps you visualize it rather than just keep thinking about it. This provides some clarity and can feel very relaxing. Meditation can also help in getting some peace and order, there are very nice apps these days like Headspace for example that offer guided meditation. You get some insight into how to let thoughts pass you by instead of staying focused on them, especially in the beginning you will find that it is difficult but with time it gets easier. To close, a line from Funcadelic’s song that ties in nicely with this, “Free your mind, and your ass will follow.
