Dear you/me,

Relax – life is hard enough as it is.
Relax – whatever has happened has already happened.
Relax – what you are afraid might happen often doesn’t.
Relax – what if not everything is a problem to be solved?
Relax – whatever illusion of control you have is overrated. You can barely control your own body and mind 🙂
Relax – chances are, in a few days or even hours, you won’t even remember why you’re upset.
Relax- your body and mind will thank you.
Relax – you won’t likely say on your deathbed, “I wish I had been more stressed, more angry, more indignant, more type A, more nervous, more burnt out…”
Relax – the only life you have is here.
Relax – if it’s really that bad, then the kindest thing to do might be to relax!
Relax – and if it’s not that bad, then all the more, RELAX!
Relax – you haven’t yet turned into a useless, ineffectual blob by relaxing.
Relax – your loved ones will thank you.
Relax – emotions are contagious, be careful what dis-ease you spread!
Relax – because you can only take care of yourself and your life, one moment at a time.
Relax – your mind and body are conditioned by habit, so learn to relax as your chosen habit, in place of ongoing stress and tension.
Relax – if that doesn’t seem possible, then see if you can relax around the tension.
Relax – attend to whatever you can and need to, and then let go of everything else and RELAX!

Begin to see that it’s all cause and effect – repeatedly stress and the result is stress, repeatedly relax and the result is relaxation!

So how can you practice relaxation? For example, when noticing tension in the body, you can invite it to relax. And if it doesn’t relax, then relax around that part of the body… or relax other parts of the body. Find relax wherever possible, notice where it isn’t tense. At the very least, you will not add further stress and judgement.

Stress in and of itself isn’t the enemy, but it becomes an issue if it’s our default setting. So develop also the skill of relax and learn to work with stress mindfully. I wrote this letter for myself and the many like me who could do with a bit more of that balance.