What do YOU do to relax?

[SandySea]

Oh but flipflap, don't you know that your creativity emenates from the right hemisphere of your brain, and the only access to that is through a relaxed state of mind? When we're worried or stressed, we're living in our left hemispheres - the logical survival mode, or to a writer, the editor brain. As a writer (and writing teacher) I know that left brain writers rarely get passed the first chapter before they have to edit and re-edit because the left hemisphere is saying "no no no don't move on until you have this page perfect!" I'm sure artists do the same.

Learn to relax and your creativity will flow far easier!

[flipflap]

Oh but flipflap, don't you know that your creativity emenates from the right hemisphere of your brain, and the only access to that is through a relaxed state of mind? When we're worried or stressed, we're living in our left hemispheres - the logical survival mode, or to a writer, the editor brain. As a writer (and writing teacher) I know that left brain writers rarely get passed the first chapter before they have to edit and re-edit because the left hemisphere is saying "no no no don't move on until you have this page perfect!" I'm sure artists do the same.

Learn to relax and your creativity will flow far easier!

I have had therapy, relaxation exercises etc but nothing has ever relaxed me, even in my sleep my mind is overactive stressing about everything!

[Guest]

Flipflap, Same as you so hard to relax properly. If only it was that easy, but do try and lose myself in a book, cant be without one.

[flipflap]

Flipflap, Same as you so hard to relax properly. If only it was that easy, but do try and lose myself in a book, cant be without one.

I read a lot but even if I am enjoying the book, I am not relaxed!

[Guest]

Know what you mean I often read in the night but then worry Im awake

[NanaNana]

Hiya Welshgirl, like my line dancing once a week, great companionship, good exercise, gets the mind thinking as well as the body moving and there's lots of steps and moves to remember, isn't there? We do it for fun too, although we do give a bit of a show at the 'old folks'' home sometimes.
I've had an 18" x 15" cross stitch picture on the go for the past 9 years and haven't finished the border yet. On Saturday afternoon, during a very rare (you know what I'm like) day doing nothing (yes, don't all fall over), I picked it up for the first time in years and actually stitched four rows ..................... of the bottom of a peach! Er, not exactly big time sewing, I kept stopping to look out of the window at the garden. TUT.
And I try to read too, mostly when I can't sleep around 2am or so. Nearly always WWI factual books.

[no1mum]

Flipflap, Same as you so hard to relax properly. If only it was that easy, but do try and lose myself in a book, cant be without one.

I read a lot but even if I am enjoying the book, I am not relaxed!

Snap, same here.

[Lazydaisy]

If I read, then I am gone completely into my fictional world. I have to be called several times to get my nose out of a book.When my children were small and I was reading to them, I was terrible at it, as I would drift. I would start out reading loud, and then forget and read the story in my head!Thankfully they were all early readers themselves, and one of my proudest moments was when Rhys didn't answer when I called, and when I found him he was in the kitchen completely in the world of the Famous Five!

[SandySea]

Those of you who say you can't relax might try seeing a homeopath. You're fortunate that you're in the UK where homeopathy is still respected, unlike in the U.S. where it's practically outlawed - after all, it doesn't make a profit for the pharmaceutical companies!
The greatest effect of homeopathics is on the mind, and I work with these wonderful little magic pills all the time because treating the body is a waste of time unless the mind can first show the way.
If you can't take the time or afford the cost of seeing a homeopath (not sure if NHS covers it) then call into a pharmacy or health food shop and pick up an inexpensive bottle of Bach's White Chestnut, which is FOR an overactive mind, or if you are totally stressed out of your mind, go for the Bach Rescue Remedy.
And ask yourself - did worry every change anything, prevent anything, create anything, make anything better? If you believe (as I DON'T) that we only have one life, why would you waste it by existing in a stressed state? You CAN change it, but first you have to be willing to let go of it, and sometimes it becomes a security blanket.
At the very least, do one fun thing every day, even if it's only for 5 minutes. And have a damn good laugh - best medicine in the world.

[flipflap]

I tried the Bach flower remedy but that didn't work for me either!