Right after retiring from my high-pressure, stressful career, I remember thinking to myself,

“Thank goodness I’ll never have to feel stressed again!”

(I’ll wait while you finish laughing at me for being so naive.)

Because here’s the truth… stress is part of life. A study by the American Psychological Association found that 75% of adults over 60 experience stress on a regular basis. For this age group, the stress triggers can be unique. Some of the most common include:

• Health concerns
• Financial worries
• Caregiving responsibilities
• Retirement & Empty Nest
• Loss of loved ones

Stress can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, high blood pressure & heart disease to name just a few.

Back when I was working, I didn’t know how to manage my stress. I wish someone had shown me that there are simple things anyone can do to reset the nervous system in just a few short minutes. Let me show you an example…

In today’s “Manage Stress with a Mindful Moment” video, I’ll show you how to combine your breath, a simple hand movement and a softly whispered word (or mantra) to bring down your stress level in about 2 minutes. Whether you’re in a doctor’s waiting room, paying your monthly bills or anticipating a difficult conversation, this stress management technique will help!

Remember, stress is usually not based on what is actually true, but what is most feared):

• What will the years ahead look like? (Uncertainty)
• Will the people I love be safe? (Control)
• Am I good enough? (Self-doubt)

Stress may be part of life, but some simple practices like Dove Mudra can help. Every Midlife Yoga class includes a stress management moment just like this. Learn more & register here.

Until next time,

~ Rosemary