While writing what I thought was to be the subject of this issue’s newsletter, I found myself facing a wall at every turn. When you know what the topic was–right timing–you can see just how hilariously ironic this is. Finally admitting that I wasn’t learning the lesson of my own topic, i.e. letting fruit ripen before you pick it, the recurring question returned, more insistent than ever with the approaching deadline: "What is the subject of this issue’s NL?"

Thus did one of the recurring themes of the past month come to light…Take quiet time for yourself and relax. Yay! Not only did the subject come pouring out, it got downright creative. Readers, buckle your seatbelts and get ready for a multi-media extravaganza…

And then came the Tip! I realized that so many of the tips from the last 80 newsletters could be labeled a "tip for relaxation"! What’s this show us? That your journey as a Simplifier might also be called the Quest for More Relaxation in Your Life.

…and More Creativity. Say, that’s a perfect segue for me to introduce a new creative outlet via mp3/audio files that I’m quite proud of… The beginning Chronicles of a new Super Hero on the scene: Super Organizer Girl! You’ll find a link to her humble beginnings in the Featured At section below.

Enough rambling, time to get on to the next section of the newsletter!

Enjoy,

Shawn Tuttle
Head Simplifier, Project Simplify
Co-editor, The Simplifier

"If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it."

-Herodotus

By Shawn Tuttle

Editor’s intro: There was a software program on my family’s first Compaq personal computer back in 1987 that was meant to simulate a therapist. Her name was Eliza. She would ask questions and then respond to answers. This was very helpful for me, being of high school age, as I could talk about unrequited crushes on boys and frustrations with my mom without actually having to speak these out loud to another person, which was great since I was very shy.

I’m going to take this idea of alternative therapy in a different direction. I hereby introduce you to Dr. Chill Out, our in-house specialist in the field of relaxation for the improvement of lifestyle quality. (I’m sure you’ve heard of her groundbreaking study, “Managing Human Endeavors to Mollify the Detrimental Ramifications of Quotidian Activities.”)

Maybe you are having trouble working out problems–-not with boys, but with stress. So I’ve arranged a free simulated session with Dr. Out complete with a prescription for relaxation. Let’s be clear from the get-go: these are not ‘scrips for valium (that was so 20th Century!) There’s no risk of detriment to your physical or mental well-being so why don’t you get started? I’ll step out of the room and return when you’re done. 

You ask: Is there really a direct tie between relaxation and my health?

Dr. Chill Out: Since we humans tend to be rather re-active, it’s easier to approach that question from  the negative side of the equation–i.e., stress. According to Robert M. Sapolsky, professor of biological science and neuroscience at Stanford University and author of the critically acclaimed Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: "Stress can wreak havoc with your metabolism, raise your blood pressure, burst your white blood cells, make you flatulent, ruin your sex life, and if that’s not enough, possibly damage your brain."

This is the most important thing for you to be aware of: we hold stress in our bodies. This is commonly evident in tight shoulders or a clenched jaw, but it’s also very common to hold stress in the hips, lower back, and stomach. Unless we consciously release the tensions that build up over the years, we are practically inviting injury or disease in these tense areas.

I’ll also remind you of the interview with Patt Lind-Kyle, who said, "When you are under stress, the sympathetic nervous system gets in gear to take care of whatever the issue is that’s going on, and if you don’t meditate or otherwise get it back to the parasympathetic, it will continue producing those stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which are really toxic to the system if they are not released within about 90 minutes."

You respond: OK, I get that stress is bad, but I have lots to do; I can’t spend all my time trying to relax!

Dr. C.O.: Think of relaxation as a quality on a spectrum. At one end of the spectrum you have minimal vibration or movement, like a stick of warm butter.  On the other end of the spectrum, you have high vibration at all levels, like the tension inherent in a tightly wound coil. In the middle you have movement done with minimal tension, like walking down the street with an easy stride. Here, I’ll draw it out:

Most of us spend too much time on the stress side of the continuum. Deliberate relaxation helps undo the negative effects of high tension. Even better, it helps keep your future actions within a more moderate range on the spectrum.

You ask: Ahh, I’ll bet that’s where a simplified life comes in, right?

Dr. C.O.: You betcha! One of the goals of simplifying is letting it be easy–in other words, thoughtful, intentional action done with ease.

You ask: What are some simple things I can do to relax during the day that don’t take too much time?   

Dr. C.O.: I’ve taken the liberty to write a prescription for you. You can download it here.

(click the image for a printable version)

Let’s go over it together.

1. The 60 Sec. Butter Melt. Take 60 seconds to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and imagine warm butter melting into any tense spots in your body. Do this 3x a day.

2. The Stress Loop Stopper.
- Write down the thought that keeps running through your head and stirring up stress.
- Close your eyes, take four deep breaths like so:
    – During the first breath, put your attention on your feet (eyes still closed!) 
    – Second breath, take your attention to your heart.
    – Third breath to your throat.
    – Fourth breath to the center of your forehead.
- Then ask yourself, what is the next step I need to take to resolve this (the situation you just wrote down).
- Write down your answer on the same piece of paper.
- Smile and remind yourself to "Let it be easy!"
At first, make a point to do it at least 1x a day, then as you get used to the exercise, do whenever you feel your mind repeating stress inducing thoughts.

3. The 5-Minute Guided Relaxation. You can listen to or download the file here. You may want to copy the file to a CD or MP3 player. Lay down or sit in a comfortable chair. Prevent distractions by turning off phone/email alerts and rings. Put a sign on your door asking not to be disturbed. Listen and let go! Do at least 1x during every work day. (Do not do while driving!)

(Those full instructions are included on the printable prescription PDF.)

You ask: How much time does all this take?

Dr. C.O.: All of these activities will be spread throughout the day and only take a total of 10-15 minutes! It may take a few reminders to get in the habit of doing them, but you’ll get to where they are feeling natural.

Any other questions? You can email me c/o Shawn on the Contact page at the Project Simplify website.

You respond: Great! Thanks Dr. Out!

Editor’s note:
I’m not sure how serious the makers of the Eliza the Therapist program were–did they really think I’d spill my heart out to the family Compaq? Or were they exploring whether they could create a plausible computer response to unpredictable questions? Whether I chose to take it seriously and do some exploration on my issues at the time or end up laughing at her responses, I would undoubtedly feel a little better.

Stress doesn’t have to be a regular family member. There is plenty you can do, such as learning and practicing Dr. Out’s relaxation techniques above, to wean stress into being just an occasional guest. Whether used to calm down in a specific situation or as part of a preventative maintenance plan, these exercises will improve your quality of life.
—

Shawn Tuttle is founder of Project Simplify.

by Shawn Tuttle

Thanks for reading!

Publication Information
————————————————————————–
The Simplifier is published by:
Project Simplify
P.O. Box 597
Nevada City, CA 95959
phone: 530.205.5775
web: www.projectsimplify.com
e-mail: newsletter@projectsimplify.com