How to Decompress, De-stress and Think Less with Tiffany Blake Stanfield
Tiffany Blake Stanfield ERYT, CNTP, is a trained professional in Scientific Holistic Health at Wholesome Living 365. Utilizing her skills in nutrition/lifestyle coaching and her method of hands-on bodywork, she helps clients cultivate a sustainable lifestyle through motivation, education, and result-driven methods. Tiffany developed a technique called Yoga Massage Therapy, based on her time as a yoga teacher, and she now practices this method with professional athletes and other clients in the local Denver community. Tiffany focuses on coaching services to help clients break habitual patterns that no longer serve them through weekly meal preparation, nutritional coaching, and perspective coaching. Tiffany writes about how to decompress, de-stress and think less.
Our modern-day society drives a very busy, fast-paced culture. At times, no matter how grounded we can be, having a healthy balance can be hard. I formulated this theory of being “overworked in a loud world” based on many clients who came to me for improving their health; whether to lose weight, feel healthier or conquer a more serious issue, there was one thing they all had in common: no time and too stressed. I quickly shifted my coaching from how to eat, to how to process and think to find solutions. Here are a few tips on how to “Tune in and turn on.”
Step 1: Listen
Listening to the body and giving it the simple needs in life: food, water, bathroom breaks, and rest. Avoid waiting... waiting leads to desperate actions.
Step 2: Plan
Plan your schedule weekly, such as planned personal time, workouts, weekly menu, taking household inventory, as well as organizing grocery days separate from meal prep days to avoid exhaustion.
Never leave home without food and water. After all, life happens and you may find yourself in need of food and anything you can pack from your kitchen is likelier a healthier option and saves you time.
Step 3: Learn yourself
If you know you are more inclined to work out in the morning, schedule yourself a work out like it’s your job a couple of times a week before the day gets away from you.
If you know you cannot handle sugar in the house don’t buy it. The likelihood of you going to the store for a craving is slimmer than going to the kitchen.
Take time to think about your likes and dislikes, your strengths and weakness and journal them.
Step 4: Consistency
To break habitual patterns, start new rituals. I recommend my clients starting with a consistent morning ritual and a consistent evening ritual that cues your mind, body, and spirit that is time to start and time to end.
Try this for a week: Morning affirmations and gratitude paired with a cup of coffee or tea and natural lighting, this is a great way to start your morning and balance your stress hormones. This simple morning ritual will help you get into “positive thinking.” Try picking three affirmations and three things to be grateful for every morning and lastly set your intention for the day. Write them down or set a note on your phone. Try making this the first thing you do, before checking your emails, or rushing around. Set an intention to rise earlier to give yourself time to “tune in and turn on”. If you want to carry this out further send three texts/emails to a few you love, it can be as simple as “have a great day.” In the world of energy what you send out is what you get back!
In the evening try to avoid technology at least 30 mins before bed. Return to your rituals and check-in with yourself: what am I proud of myself for today? What could I have done differently? How would I like to improve tomorrow? Answer these questions, send out your gratitude again, and lastly check in with your body, what do you need to do before you sleep: breathing exercises, light stretching, or find a song that reaches you to your core calm self. End your day in a blissful mindset preparing yourself for tomorrow.
For step four: I created E.M.I.T for clients to deepen the practice.
Expect the unexpected - for better or worse things in life are not always in our grasp of control; at times when trying to control - we can also attract what we may want to avoid most. Allow yourself vulnerability to see what your universe has to offer.
Manifest - returning to your imagination and checking in with your goals and dreams for daily progression.
Intentional Living, intentional patterns - Get up early enough in the morning to have intentional thinking and time to plan. Develop a plan for your week and set time to mentally prepare.
Three affirmations - Develop three affirmations for yourself to acknowledge on a daily basis. I had a friend a long time ago share this simple mantra “I am enough, I have enough, there is enough” these three simple thoughts can bring comfort and help slowly, but surely bring tangible comfort; after all, you are what you think.
Tiffany Blake Stanfield