User:Razaahad7869

Present Tense: Relaxation Is a Skill, Not a Luxury
You’ve likely been told to relax at some point in your life — whether by a massage therapist setting the mood, a well-meaning partner trying to help, or that friend who always seems to stay cool no matter what happens.

As a mom, I’ve said it to my kid at least a hundred times, to little effect.

Being told to relax can be an invitation. On the other hand, it can be an insult. So much of that depends on context, but it also depends on how well you’ve developed the skill of relaxation.

Yep, relaxation is a skill. It’s not a spell or incantation that can magically induce a state of calm, and it’s not a button you can press to suddenly go into chill mode.

While that can be a little disappointing, it can also be a relief.

I can’t count how many times I’ve admonished myself to relax, only to find that my scolding wasn’t doing its job. In fact, trying to force myself to relax has often made my stress and tension worse.

Instead of expecting to be able to flip relaxation on and off like a light switch, I’ve learned tools to gently bring myself into a relaxed state.

These tools have helped me develop the practice of relaxation so that, more and more, it can be my default state. That way when stress sets in, I’m more prepared to handle it.