Election Stress Relief
A 2-Minute Relaxation for Your Knees, Ankles, and Feet
Try this body scan to find a moment of calm — right now
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As we approach Election Day, Elemental is bringing you a progressive body scan for stress relief (also known as progressive muscle relaxation therapy; read more about the science behind it here). Each day, you’ll focus on and relax one part of your body to find a moment of presence and calm. Today, we begin from the ground up, with the feet and lower legs.
Pause.
Take a deep inhale, then sigh it out.
Feel the breath entering the lungs and filling the belly.
Feel the belly expand… the chest… the rib cage.
Exhale and feel your belly soften.
Continue and feel your breath rise and fall like an ocean tide.
Take a moment to tune out any thoughts that don’t serve you at this moment, while you tune in to the brilliant power and gift of your breath.
Bring all your awareness to your feet, your toes, the tops of the feet and the bottoms.
Notice how they feel.
Wiggle your toes. Flex and point your feet.
Take a nice big, deep inhale and point the toes.
Hold the breath for three, two, one.
Exhale.
Relax the feet.
Let go.
Bring awareness to your ankles, your calf muscles, your shins, and your knees.
Feel the connection from the ankles to the knees.
Flex the feet, guiding the heels toward the earth and the toes toward the sky.
Engage your calves and feel the ankles tense.
Inhale… and exhale.
Let go… release.
Roll the ankles. Sway the legs in any way that feels food.
Take a big, deep inhale, and then a gentle exhale.
Let go of any tension, any resistance.
Let a soft stillness encapsulate the muscles from toes to knees.
Send your breath to the feet, and let the breath act like ocean waves washing any tension away.
Let go, feel grounded, and breathe.
Repeat this affirmation, either out loud or in your head: “I am exactly where I need to be.”
