Wellness and stress > Your Wellness Coach

Wellness Goal - Tip No 1


Your coach:
Isabelle Queval
Psychologist


Is relaxation too complicated?

There are a number of myths surrounding relaxation. However, relaxation is more accessible than people think. Get the right information and you’ll no longer be able to resist making a “gift” of this to yourself on a daily basis.


Myth 1. Relaxation is practiced lying down, in total silence.
False.

No matter what the exterior circumstances are, we can learn to achieve a state of inner calm. Relaxation can be practiced at home, at work, waiting in line and whether we’re standing, seated or lying down. Three factors are important:

  • Settling down comfortably (legs uncrossed, head aligned with the spinal column, loose shoulders and jaw)
  • Concentrating on our breathing (slow and deep)
  • Thinking about something pleasant (a reassuring image, ambient sounds, a word…)


Myth 2. Relaxation serves to cut us off from our emotions and empty us of our thoughts.
False.

Thinking about nothing isn’t easy! Relaxation does not tend to disconnect us from ourselves. On the contrary, it helps us expand our awareness of the present moment and of our physical sensations, as well as of worries and emotions that may be bothering us.


Myth 3. Relaxation is a demanding practice.
False.
Relaxation is easy enough to practice. Once the basics of a technique are learned, it can be practiced at any time, and it requires just a bit of concentration. All that’s needed is to focus on the task at hand and to let go of our need for control.


Myth 4. Relaxation is THE solution to stress.
False.
Relaxation is a powerful tool for managing stress, but wellness depends on a series of interdependent factors. In the presence of stress, relaxation is effective, but other responses are called for. We must always expand our vigilance in order to limit our sources of stress; our serenity in order to accept what can’t be changed; our courage in order to change what can be changed; and our wisdom, so that we recognize what can be changed!


Opening up to relaxation » »






The “Wellness and stress” section was produced in collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association and thanks to the support of