Real-Life Stress Management Cues

You invest a lot of time and energy into clearing your space and helping your participants “de-stress.” The techniques you use inspire stillness from floor to ceiling. It’s fairly simple to provide a stress-free environment in a controlled setting like your studio. But has a student ever asked you how to capture the same sense of peace in his regular, daily life? Try the following “transfer cues” in your next class. After giving the cue, quietly suggest the corresponding practical application.

Cue: “On the exhalation, feel the shoulders drop.”
Real-Life Scenario: Use while waiting in traffic or in line at the grocery store.

Cue: “Take a deep breath and release the back and the neck completely; there is no tension in the neck muscles.”
Real-Life Scenario: Use while sitting at a desk.

Cue: “Be aware of your breathing slowing down and becoming fuller with each breath.”
Real-Life Scenario: Use when having a hard time falling asleep at night.

Cue: “Inhale and feel positive energy in the postural muscles. Exhale and release negative energy (tension) in the neck and shoulders.”
Real-Life Scenario: Use to energize, focus and calm yourself during an acutely stressful situation (waiting for a job interview, etc.).

Cue: “Leave the day’s stress outside for now--you can pick up what you need when you leave.”
Real-Life Scenario: Use when feeling stressed during family dinner or anywhere you should be enjoying yourself and taking a break instead of focusing on work and other stressors.