Little Peaces blog

Stress Balls

These simple and cheap tension relievers are honestly so underrated and this is why:

It's all about the senses

• They come in all sorts of funky shapes, colours and silly formats, automatically diffusing some negativity because we laugh about it. (One of mine, pictured above, has a dirty smudge on its cheeks which adds to the angry look!)
• They are often made of material that feels really nice against our skin: foam, jelly, spikes even.
• There can be a really satisfying 'squidge' sound when you press it in.
• It has the potential to smell good (think about using with an essential oil.)
• OK...nobody needs to taste them!

You can take them with you

• Designed to be 'on the move' so you can have them handy in any stressful situation that might arise.
• Some stress balls arrive helpfully already on a keyring, or at least make it easy for you to attach them to one.
• I like to have one in the car - stuck in traffic or if someone cuts me up - I am not at my best!

They're cheap

• If you're not fussy where you get it or what you actually get for the money.
• You can even buy in bulk - one for every occasion!

It's a mini workout/good for our wellbeing

• The muscles in your hand (or foot if you're flexible) get some exercise.
• The squeezing sensation - releases tension out of our bodies.
• It's something we can be in control of in a constantly changing world.

Repeated use

• Can be used endless amount of times until it wears out (ages) or you get bored of it.

We have someone called Patrick Hummel to thank for the stress ball, as he brought them to life in central Indiana in the mid-1980s. Thank you Patrick!

Your Battery

I wonder how many times a week or day our phones, laptops, fit-bits or other devices need charging. I expect all of these things beep, go red or just turn off if we don't plug them into electricity sharpish. Once we do, they sometimes take a while to get back up and running. So why do we think our bodies and minds are any different?

When we sit or lie down or go to sleep, we can imagine an invisible cable linked up to a huge power supply. But we can also get some more bars (no, not of the drinking kind) by walking in nature, getting a massage, changing our scenery or routine etc. I say this a lot, but we're human BE-ings, not human DO-ings.

We don't get a choice. As I'm writing this, my laptop is flashing at me because it's gone down to 20% battery. I can't say "Hang on, it's not convenient right now. If you wait an hour then I'll plug you in." We try to push through life like this though and then wonder when we fall down exhausted and can't function at all. If we listen to our device's needs, they're clear. We need to be clearer with ourselves. For instance, I'm feeling at 30% right now so after my call this afternoon, I'll go for a walk. I know this brings up my energy levels.

So, yes, it is our NEEDS charging when you think about it. Please do something about yours when you see the warning.

A Calming Workshop for Fellow Writers

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of giving my first 'Writer specific' workshop on stress, at my favourite Derbyshire retreat - Swanwick.

Yes I was nervous, but a few minutes in, I got into the flow, felt the energy and was able to really enjoy it. I can't tell you how much fun I had putting the material together for the talk. It was, what's becoming, my usual mix of informative chatter and silly props. This time with tailored prompts to get the creative juices going and help my participants to help themselves.

I was blown away by the positive feedback after the event. All the lovely people coming up to me to say thank you for a great hour, and letting me know how much it helped them understand their habits better.

I never had anything remotely resembling confidence until I was in my mid 20s. If you told me any time before then that I'd be giving workshops to 30+ people, I would have either laughed at the sheer fantasy or be shaking with anxiety. I'm so glad I feel the fear, try not to overthink it and do it anyway.

The moral of this story, and that of my workshop, is we can't magically rid ourselves of stress and anxiety but we can find ways to rise above it and soar.

Recommendation: Happiful Magazine

I discovered this gem of a magazine when I became a member of Hypnotherapy Directory. Naturally I was delighted when my latest copy arrived this morning and was quickly flicking through it with wonder. Covering all things health, wellbeing, relationships, food, culture and more, there's always so much to read, learn and use - with even a few positive quotes and puzzles thrown in.

I'm generally quite a slow reader, as it can take me longer to process written words but, honestly, this couldn't be easier to read and I can get through the whole issue in a matter of hours. The articles and sections come in short digestible bursts (much like this blog I hope) and as you probably know, one of the five ways to wellbeing is Keep Learning. Well you can certainly get your fix here!

I'm a subscriber to the paper copy but you can just as easily read it online. Click here if you're old school like me. It's also that bit kinder to your eyes!

I hope we can be more like sunflowers!

A very short post today. As I saw someone earlier wearing a dress with sunflowers on it, not only was I reminded of how much I love sunflowers but also of the image below (could we call it a meme or does it have to be funny?)

Humans are like this, we can definitely lift each other up emotionally if someone close to us is having a tough time, or grey day. It's just another example of nature letting us know how to improve our wellbeing. I hope you can take something from this.