Springtime is supposed to be a time of new growth, excitement, and change. For those of us who are overworked, overscheduled, or more, spring may just be another stressful season to deal with! If you find yourself feeling swamped by graduations, spring weddings, holidays, and getting ready for warmer temperatures, you need a great tool to fight that spring stress! At Essential Massage Therapy in New Jersey, we promote stress reduction and relaxation year-round. This month, we’ll share our experience with visualization, a tool you can use to beat that stress!

What is visualization?
Visualization is like advanced “play pretend” for grown ups. When you visualize, you work to “see” in your mind the thing you desire. For example, if you desire a stress-free, relaxing weekend, you may visualize the relaxing massage you are going to schedule with your favorite massage professional in New Jersey, the clean house you will come home to after hiring the housekeeper, the leisurely dinner you will enjoy. If you desire the best performance at your job tomorrow, you picture yourself walking confidently into that meeting, you feel the pride as you nail every topic, and you see the looks of respect on your coworkers faces.

How does it work?
Visualization is about more than just “wishing” or “hoping” for the future you want. It is about priming the connections in your brain to make it happen, and prepares you as well. For example, when thinking about that relaxing weekend, had you already called the housekeeper? Or did your visualization remind you? When thinking about how successful your presentation at work will be, you are literally activating the same parts of your brain that you would use during the real event! By visualizing, you are able to practice what you want.

How can I visualize myself with less stress?
To use visualization to fight stress, you visualize yourself tackling those stressful situations while keeping cool. Draw on your experience from other relaxing situations, such as your massage at Essential Massage, and focus on those feelings. You may not reduce the amount of work or effort you have to put in, but you can change your perspective on it from one of stress to accomplishment!

For more great tips to reduce stress and improve wellness, check our blog out each month or stop by for an expert massage session at our massage therapy office in Sparta!