WEBVTT FILE 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.401 Well hello everyone and welcome to this English lesson about 2 00:00:04.401 --> 00:00:09.401 relaxing. I was looking through the topics of past lessons and 3 00:00:09.401 --> 00:00:12.961 I think I did a lesson on stressful things. I think I did 4 00:00:12.961 --> 00:00:16.001 a lesson on good things and bad things. But I'm not sure I've 5 00:00:16.001 --> 00:00:20.281 ever done a lesson on relaxing. In this English lesson I'll 6 00:00:20.281 --> 00:00:25.001 talk about the kinds of things you can do in order to relax. 7 00:00:25.001 --> 00:00:28.441 There are plenty of things you can do that are stressful in 8 00:00:28.441 --> 00:00:32.981 life. But it should be a priority to every once in a 9 00:00:32.981 --> 00:00:37.181 while do something that helps you relax. If you're unfamiliar 10 00:00:37.181 --> 00:00:41.501 with the word relax or relaxing when you relax it means you 11 00:00:41.501 --> 00:00:45.781 calm down. It means you try to have a bit of time where things 12 00:00:45.781 --> 00:00:49.341 are peaceful. So in this English lesson I'll talk about 13 00:00:49.341 --> 00:00:53.101 a number of words and phrases that we use. To talk about the 14 00:00:53.101 --> 00:00:56.741 different things you can do to relax. Relaxing is I think the 15 00:00:56.741 --> 00:01:00.261 most important thing to do. But it's the thing we often forget 16 00:01:00.261 --> 00:01:03.201 to do. So one again welcome to this English lesson about 17 00:01:03.201 --> 00:01:07.921 relaxing. Get a massage. Now there are a number of different 18 00:01:07.921 --> 00:01:13.361 types of massages. A massage is when another person rubs your 19 00:01:13.361 --> 00:01:17.840 skin. This is what's called a hand massage you can get a 20 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:21.520 massage from a professional or you can get a massage from 21 00:01:21.521 --> 00:01:26.080 maybe your spouse. When my neck is sore or when I have a 22 00:01:26.081 --> 00:01:29.961 headache Jen will sometimes give me a neck massage. Or 23 00:01:29.961 --> 00:01:34.200 she'll just kind of give me a bit of a head massage. That 24 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:38.920 sometimes helps me to relax. A massage is a very pleasant 25 00:01:38.921 --> 00:01:43.881 experience. It's a very nice thing to have. Um I've never 26 00:01:43.881 --> 00:01:47.561 had a professional massage. I've never gone to a spa for a 27 00:01:47.561 --> 00:01:51.841 massage. But certainly if you want to relax one of the things 28 00:01:51.841 --> 00:01:55.841 that you can do is you can get a massage. This felt really 29 00:01:55.841 --> 00:01:59.681 nice by the way. Maybe I should do this more often during my 30 00:01:59.681 --> 00:02:04.141 live streams. So that my neck doesn't get tight. So I don't 31 00:02:04.141 --> 00:02:08.581 feel all kinds of stress in my neck and in my head. But 32 00:02:08.581 --> 00:02:13.621 anyways one of the things you can do to relax get a massage. 33 00:02:13.621 --> 00:02:18.221 This is something I do to relax. I read a good book. Now 34 00:02:18.221 --> 00:02:21.500 usually I don't do this during the week. I usually do this on 35 00:02:21.501 --> 00:02:25.221 the weekend. Uh but if you have a good book to read you should 36 00:02:25.221 --> 00:02:28.621 do that. The last book I read was called Out of the Dark by 37 00:02:28.621 --> 00:02:32.640 David Weber. And it's a story about Aliens Invading the 38 00:02:32.641 --> 00:02:36.961 Earth. As many of you know I love science fiction so I read 39 00:02:36.961 --> 00:02:40.321 science fiction quite a bit. Um so that was a great book. I 40 00:02:40.321 --> 00:02:43.881 finished it. Now I'm reading a book called Into the Light by 41 00:02:43.881 --> 00:02:48.201 David Weber. It's part two. Book two. So if you want to 42 00:02:48.201 --> 00:02:53.081 relax if you have some time find a nice place to sit and 43 00:02:53.081 --> 00:02:57.761 read a good book. Always enjoyable to read a story to 44 00:02:57.761 --> 00:03:03.701 help you kind of forget about life for a while. Drink a cup 45 00:03:03.701 --> 00:03:06.781 of tea. Now this might be different for you. You might 46 00:03:06.781 --> 00:03:09.741 want to drink a cup of coffee. You might want to drink a cup 47 00:03:09.741 --> 00:03:12.661 of hot chocolate. You might want to drink a cup of tea. 48 00:03:12.661 --> 00:03:16.901 When you drink a cup of tea. Especially in the winter. Like 49 00:03:16.901 --> 00:03:20.741 it's winter here right now. We did get snow last night. It's 50 00:03:20.741 --> 00:03:26.181 very nice to have a warm or hot drink we would call it. So sit 51 00:03:26.181 --> 00:03:30.261 down. Maybe the tea smells nice. Maybe you're drinking an 52 00:03:30.261 --> 00:03:34.621 herbal tea. And it's not just taste of the tea that's helping 53 00:03:34.621 --> 00:03:39.501 you relax but the smell of the tea. Jen drinks peppermint tea 54 00:03:39.501 --> 00:03:43.581 and the smell of peppermint and the taste of the tea both help 55 00:03:43.581 --> 00:03:49.621 her relax. Um but certainly having a nice cup of tea is a 56 00:03:49.621 --> 00:03:55.061 good idea. Um it certainly helps me to relax. Sometimes at 57 00:03:55.061 --> 00:03:58.941 work I will stop and take a break and have a cup of tea. 58 00:03:58.941 --> 00:04:02.941 Notice I'm saying drink a cup of tea and have a cup of tea. 59 00:04:02.941 --> 00:04:05.341 You can say both. Oh I'm going to have a cup of tea. Oh 60 00:04:05.341 --> 00:04:10.421 I'm going to drink a cup of tea before I go to work. Take a 61 00:04:10.421 --> 00:04:15.621 warm bath. So there's something about warm water that helps us 62 00:04:15.621 --> 00:04:20.021 relax. There's something also again about the smells of the 63 00:04:20.021 --> 00:04:24.461 soaps that you might use. But if you were to fill a tub with 64 00:04:24.461 --> 00:04:29.621 warm or hot water and then sit in there. Um the warmth of the 65 00:04:29.621 --> 00:04:34.101 water helps your muscles to relax. And it helps your whole 66 00:04:34.101 --> 00:04:39.221 body to relax. I don't often take baths. I think in North 67 00:04:39.221 --> 00:04:42.781 America it's more common to take a shower. Showers where 68 00:04:42.781 --> 00:04:47.221 the water shoots on your head from a a faucet. Or a shower 69 00:04:47.221 --> 00:04:51.981 head sorry. Um I think because showers are quicker. But if you 70 00:04:51.981 --> 00:04:57.141 take a warm bath sometimes in the winter on the weekend I 71 00:04:57.141 --> 00:05:01.581 might take a warm bath and it's just a very very relaxing 72 00:05:01.581 --> 00:05:04.181 feeling. You sit in the warm water and it just makes you 73 00:05:04.181 --> 00:05:10.521 feel really really nice. Makes you feel relaxed. Take a walk. 74 00:05:10.521 --> 00:05:14.841 Especially if you can take a walk outside. For me one of the 75 00:05:14.841 --> 00:05:18.761 best ways to relax is to take a walk. Or in English we 76 00:05:18.761 --> 00:05:23.001 sometimes say go for a walk. I like to go for a walk. Now for 77 00:05:23.001 --> 00:05:27.361 me there's two kinds of walking. I walk for exercise 78 00:05:27.361 --> 00:05:32.561 but I also walk for pleasure or I walk for fun. When I say take 79 00:05:32.561 --> 00:05:36.721 a walk. I'm talking about the kind of walk you take for fun. 80 00:05:36.721 --> 00:05:41.081 In English we might call it a stroll. Go for a stroll. If you 81 00:05:41.081 --> 00:05:45.461 can do this in nature. If you can do this somewhere where you 82 00:05:45.461 --> 00:05:51.181 can see trees and where you can see maybe some wild animals not 83 00:05:51.181 --> 00:05:54.781 the dangerous guide. If you can take a walk outside you'll get 84 00:05:54.781 --> 00:05:58.021 some fresh air. In English we often say it's important to get 85 00:05:58.021 --> 00:06:02.861 some fresh air every once in a while. But if you can take a 86 00:06:02.861 --> 00:06:08.741 walk. Go for a walk. Enjoy the outdoors a little bit. Put on 87 00:06:08.741 --> 00:06:13.461 some comfy clothes. Now the word comfy is an informal 88 00:06:13.461 --> 00:06:18.061 English word and it's short for comfortable. Put on some 89 00:06:18.061 --> 00:06:22.101 comfortable clothes. When I go to work I wear shirts with 90 00:06:22.101 --> 00:06:27.221 collars. I wear what are called dress pants or casual dress 91 00:06:27.221 --> 00:06:31.740 pants. I don't wear jeans and a T-shirt when I go to work. But 92 00:06:31.741 --> 00:06:35.781 I find wearing jeans with a T-shirt very comfortable. 93 00:06:35.781 --> 00:06:39.380 Sometimes I'll wear a hoodie as well. That's a sweatshirt with 94 00:06:39.380 --> 00:06:44.140 a hood on it. So when I come home from work in order to 95 00:06:44.141 --> 00:06:49.461 relax a little bit I get chain I put on some comfy clothes. I 96 00:06:49.461 --> 00:06:52.701 put on jeans. I put on a T-shirt and I usually put on a 97 00:06:52.701 --> 00:06:55.940 hoodie in the winter because it's a little colder out. Um 98 00:06:55.940 --> 00:07:00.260 and that just helps me to relax. Let's say you have a job 99 00:07:00.261 --> 00:07:03.701 where you have to wear a dress. Or you have to wear a suit and 100 00:07:03.701 --> 00:07:07.821 tie. Those are nice clothes to wear during the day but it's 101 00:07:07.821 --> 00:07:12.821 very nice to come home and put on some comfy clothes so that 102 00:07:12.821 --> 00:07:17.641 you can relax a little bit. So put on an old your your old 103 00:07:17.641 --> 00:07:21.081 favorite sweater put on some big warm socks whatever you 104 00:07:21.081 --> 00:07:25.481 need to do put on the kinds of clothes that help you to relax 105 00:07:25.481 --> 00:07:30.981 a little bit put on some comfy clothes listen to music. Now 106 00:07:30.981 --> 00:07:35.261 this is a pretty common one. Music has a magical effect on 107 00:07:35.261 --> 00:07:39.021 us. There are different types of music. Some music makes us 108 00:07:39.021 --> 00:07:43.540 excited. Some music makes us feel sad. Some music makes us 109 00:07:43.541 --> 00:07:48.701 feel happy. Some music though can calm us down and help us 110 00:07:48.701 --> 00:07:52.501 relax. For me that would be something like classical music. 111 00:07:52.501 --> 00:07:56.781 Classical music is a very beautiful way to relax if you 112 00:07:56.781 --> 00:08:00.821 like classical music. Um if you like the music played by an 113 00:08:00.821 --> 00:08:05.061 orchestra do that. Um just take some time sit somewhere 114 00:08:05.061 --> 00:08:09.781 comfortable and listen to some music. Um and you can do this 115 00:08:09.781 --> 00:08:13.821 with headphones as well. And by the way you can combine some of 116 00:08:13.821 --> 00:08:17.861 these. You can put a radio on playing nice music while you 117 00:08:17.861 --> 00:08:21.381 have a warm bath. You can drink a cup of tea while listening to 118 00:08:21.381 --> 00:08:27.841 music. All of those things will help you relax. So we have this 119 00:08:27.841 --> 00:08:33.280 interesting term in English. Comfort food. Comfort food is 120 00:08:33.280 --> 00:08:38.240 usually food we eat in the winter. That's usually warm and 121 00:08:38.241 --> 00:08:41.321 when I think of comfort food I usually think about something 122 00:08:41.321 --> 00:08:47.441 like soup or stew and homemade bread. For me that's the kind 123 00:08:47.441 --> 00:08:52.160 of food on a January day that makes me feel relaxed. When I 124 00:08:52.160 --> 00:08:57.720 come in from outside if it's minus 5° outside. And I come in 125 00:08:57.721 --> 00:09:02.881 and have some stew. Stew is a thick soup by the way. This is 126 00:09:02.881 --> 00:09:07.041 Um when I come in and have some stew and maybe Jen or I have 127 00:09:07.041 --> 00:09:11.481 made a loaf of fresh bread homemade bread. To me that just 128 00:09:11.481 --> 00:09:15.121 makes me relax. I would call that comfort food. Comfort 129 00:09:15.121 --> 00:09:19.961 food. It's very very very delicious. Um I love it. It's 130 00:09:19.961 --> 00:09:25.041 very tasty and very very delicious. Meditate. When you 131 00:09:25.041 --> 00:09:29.761 meditate you sit somewhere. It can be in your house. It can be 132 00:09:29.761 --> 00:09:34.201 out on a dock by a lake. You sit somewhere and you try to 133 00:09:34.201 --> 00:09:38.841 empty your mind of all of your thoughts. You try to think 134 00:09:38.841 --> 00:09:44.561 maybe of just one thing. Maybe you sit and think about a tree. 135 00:09:44.561 --> 00:09:48.681 Or you sit and think about the sun. Or you try to think about 136 00:09:48.681 --> 00:09:52.841 nothing at all which is very difficult. Um I'm not a 137 00:09:52.841 --> 00:09:56.601 professional meditator if that's a term. But I do 138 00:09:56.601 --> 00:10:01.801 sometimes value just sitting maybe staring at one thing. Or 139 00:10:01.801 --> 00:10:06.121 sitting and closing my eyes and just kind of letting all of the 140 00:10:06.121 --> 00:10:10.981 stress of the day go away. And just think about happy things. 141 00:10:10.981 --> 00:10:15.821 Think about happy thoughts. So meditation is then a relaxing 142 00:10:15.821 --> 00:10:19.901 of the mind. And there are ways to learn how to do it well. I 143 00:10:19.901 --> 00:10:23.261 think someday I should take a class to learn how to meditate 144 00:10:23.261 --> 00:10:29.141 well. How to do meditation well. Go to a spa. So again 145 00:10:29.141 --> 00:10:34.061 I've never been to a spa. Um a spa is a place where you can 146 00:10:34.061 --> 00:10:37.621 they can you know do things for your skin. Like maybe you put 147 00:10:37.621 --> 00:10:42.221 on mud and then you go and hot bath. Maybe you sit and get a 148 00:10:42.221 --> 00:10:46.941 face massage or a head massage. Uh maybe you go in a hot tub 149 00:10:46.941 --> 00:10:51.541 which is very relaxing as well. Um but a spa is usually a place 150 00:10:51.541 --> 00:10:56.581 you go. Sometimes for a day or for a weekend. Where the entire 151 00:10:56.581 --> 00:11:01.341 point of going is to do things that relax you. Maybe you'll 152 00:11:01.341 --> 00:11:06.061 sit in a warm bath with candles. Maybe you'll sit in a 153 00:11:06.061 --> 00:11:11.041 hot tub like I mentioned. But definitely some probably next 154 00:11:11.041 --> 00:11:14.160 time I'm really stressed maybe Jen and I should go to a spa 155 00:11:14.160 --> 00:11:19.520 for a day but they're kind of expensive. I just mentioned sit 156 00:11:19.521 --> 00:11:24.160 in a hot tub. Some Canadians have what's called a hot tub. 157 00:11:24.160 --> 00:11:28.360 It looks like this. It has lots of hot water in it and then 158 00:11:28.361 --> 00:11:32.321 there are jets that you can turn on to make the water move 159 00:11:32.321 --> 00:11:36.721 around really fast. This can be very relaxing. It can make your 160 00:11:36.721 --> 00:11:43.481 muscles simply because there's this you know it's almost like 161 00:11:43.481 --> 00:11:47.201 the water massages you. Like the water's moving so quickly 162 00:11:47.201 --> 00:11:53.561 that it helps you to feel relaxed and enjoy your time 163 00:11:53.561 --> 00:11:57.881 there. Um I don't have a hot tub. I wish I had a hot tub. 164 00:11:57.881 --> 00:12:01.881 One of my colleagues has a hot tub and he really enjoys it. 165 00:12:01.881 --> 00:12:06.681 Because he is getting older but he still likes to play sports. 166 00:12:06.681 --> 00:12:10.641 And after he plays sports the next day his muscles are very 167 00:12:10.641 --> 00:12:15.021 sore. He likes to play tennis in badminton. And so he likes 168 00:12:15.021 --> 00:12:18.501 to go in his hot tub after the day after he plays a game 169 00:12:18.501 --> 00:12:24.741 because it helps his muscles to relax. Uh buy a hammock or have 170 00:12:24.741 --> 00:12:29.061 a nap in a hammock. A hammock is this. It's something you 171 00:12:29.061 --> 00:12:33.821 hang between two trees or from a tree or between two poles. 172 00:12:33.821 --> 00:12:38.181 And it's just a place to go outside. And to lay and read a 173 00:12:38.181 --> 00:12:42.461 book or to lay in it and have a nap. We do not have a hammock. 174 00:12:42.461 --> 00:12:46.381 I might ask for a hammock for my birthday next year. Um it 175 00:12:46.381 --> 00:12:49.861 might be a fun thing to have. And we can attach it to a tree. 176 00:12:49.861 --> 00:12:53.581 And then on a lazy Sunday afternoon I can go lay in the 177 00:12:53.581 --> 00:12:59.941 hammock and read a book. That would be fun. So the sun comes 178 00:12:59.941 --> 00:13:03.141 up in the morning sunrise and it goes down in the evening 179 00:13:03.141 --> 00:13:07.741 sunset. And watching the sunrise or watching the sunset 180 00:13:07.741 --> 00:13:11.660 can be very relaxing. It can be very enjoyable. I think 181 00:13:11.660 --> 00:13:16.860 sometimes we forget how amazing it is that we live on a planet 182 00:13:16.861 --> 00:13:20.780 that turns and and it orbits the sun and the sun comes up 183 00:13:20.780 --> 00:13:25.740 and the sun comes down. Um and it's good to reconnect with 184 00:13:25.741 --> 00:13:30.481 nature. It's good to reconnect with the fact that we live on 185 00:13:30.481 --> 00:13:34.681 an amazing rock in the middle of space. So take some time. 186 00:13:34.681 --> 00:13:37.921 Get up early. If that's the thing you can do. If you're a 187 00:13:37.921 --> 00:13:41.401 good person if you're good at getting up early and go out and 188 00:13:41.401 --> 00:13:44.881 watch the sunrise. Or if you have trouble getting up early 189 00:13:44.881 --> 00:13:49.001 watch the sunset at night. Just two very beautiful times of the 190 00:13:49.001 --> 00:13:55.321 day. I prefer sunrise. Very very cool. Sleep in. If you 191 00:13:55.321 --> 00:13:58.841 want to relax you can always sleep in. You can just stay in 192 00:13:58.841 --> 00:14:02.441 bed in the morning longer than you normally would. Jen and I 193 00:14:02.441 --> 00:14:06.201 sometimes sleep in a little bit on Saturday and Sunday because 194 00:14:06.201 --> 00:14:10.561 I don't have to go to work. Um but certainly sleeping in is a 195 00:14:10.561 --> 00:14:17.841 great way to relax. Put away your phone. So these things are 196 00:14:17.841 --> 00:14:22.441 super handy. This is probably the coolest tool that humans 197 00:14:22.441 --> 00:14:26.241 have ever invented. But they can also be quite stressful 198 00:14:26.241 --> 00:14:29.801 because they're constantly buzzing or ringing. Or maybe 199 00:14:29.801 --> 00:14:33.881 you just look at social media too much. So putting away your 200 00:14:33.881 --> 00:14:37.601 phone. Just coming home and taking your phone out of your 201 00:14:37.601 --> 00:14:41.121 pocket and putting it somewhere else for the evening can be 202 00:14:41.121 --> 00:14:45.721 relaxing. Or even trying to go a whole weekend without using 203 00:14:45.721 --> 00:14:49.221 your phone. Although I think I would really have trouble doing 204 00:14:49.221 --> 00:14:52.461 it. It's that's a challenging one isn't it? To put away your 205 00:14:52.461 --> 00:14:56.741 phone. But it would be relaxing. But I might be 206 00:14:56.741 --> 00:14:59.581 stressed because my kids can't text me then and let me know 207 00:14:59.581 --> 00:15:02.941 where they are and what they're doing. I'm going to try it. I 208 00:15:02.941 --> 00:15:05.301 don't know if it's going to go well. Maybe it'll be the 209 00:15:05.301 --> 00:15:09.981 opposite. Maybe it would be stressful. Build a fire. So 210 00:15:09.981 --> 00:15:16.500 humans for some reason most humans enjoy sitting around a 211 00:15:16.501 --> 00:15:20.381 fire at night. Now depending on the time of year this can't 212 00:15:20.381 --> 00:15:24.201 work very well. Jen and I actually had a fire last 213 00:15:24.201 --> 00:15:27.081 weekend and we didn't sit around it. We just had a little 214 00:15:27.081 --> 00:15:31.281 fire outside for fun. Um but when you build a fire and you 215 00:15:31.281 --> 00:15:35.561 watch the flames in the fire. And you watch them flicker and 216 00:15:35.561 --> 00:15:39.841 you watch the flames go up and down and the smell of the of 217 00:15:39.841 --> 00:15:43.881 the wood burning. All of that can be very relaxing. I think 218 00:15:43.881 --> 00:15:47.641 there's something primal about it. The English word primal 219 00:15:47.641 --> 00:15:51.561 means like how we used to live a thousand years ago. Um there 220 00:15:51.561 --> 00:15:55.461 was a time where humans always had fire because we used it to 221 00:15:55.461 --> 00:15:59.221 cook and we used it for warmth. And I think that it's just very 222 00:15:59.221 --> 00:16:04.581 relaxing to listen to a fire the the wood pops and crackles 223 00:16:04.581 --> 00:16:08.141 and you can smell the smoke and you can smell the wood burning. 224 00:16:08.141 --> 00:16:14.501 So have a fire. Build a fire. Enjoy it. Spend some time 225 00:16:14.501 --> 00:16:19.060 alone. So this is one that I really enjoy. Obviously when 226 00:16:19.061 --> 00:16:22.340 you spend some time alone you can meditate. But because I 227 00:16:22.341 --> 00:16:26.621 have a job where I'm surrounded with people all day. And 228 00:16:26.621 --> 00:16:31.221 because I have five children. Um life can seem very busy. 229 00:16:31.221 --> 00:16:34.941 There's a lot of people around me. So sometimes I just need a 230 00:16:34.941 --> 00:16:39.460 little bit of time alone. Most of the time I get my time alone 231 00:16:39.461 --> 00:16:43.821 by driving. So if one of my kids needs to go somewhere I 232 00:16:43.821 --> 00:16:47.921 drive them there. And then when I home by myself. It's just 233 00:16:47.921 --> 00:16:51.881 some I just get some time alone. I can just think about 234 00:16:51.881 --> 00:16:55.081 things. When I go for a walk in the morning I get to have a 235 00:16:55.081 --> 00:16:59.081 little bit of time alone which we also call me time by the 236 00:16:59.081 --> 00:17:03.081 way. So in English if someone says I need more me time 237 00:17:03.081 --> 00:17:06.401 they're saying they need to spend some time alone. They 238 00:17:06.401 --> 00:17:10.361 also could just be saying they need to do something that's fun 239 00:17:10.361 --> 00:17:13.761 for them. I'm going to go shopping because I need some me 240 00:17:13.761 --> 00:17:17.981 time. I'm going to go to the because I need some me time. So 241 00:17:17.981 --> 00:17:21.021 spending some time alone getting a little bit of me time 242 00:17:21.021 --> 00:17:27.421 can be very very enjoyable. So Jen made me add this one. Do a 243 00:17:27.421 --> 00:17:31.821 puzzle. This is something Jen does to relax. We usually have 244 00:17:31.821 --> 00:17:37.221 a puzzle on the go in our back room throughout the winter. We 245 00:17:37.221 --> 00:17:40.981 have a table in the backroom of our house where Jen usually is 246 00:17:40.981 --> 00:17:44.661 doing a puzzle at any given time during the winter. During 247 00:17:44.661 --> 00:17:48.501 the summer she's too busy. But she likes to do puzzles because 248 00:17:48.501 --> 00:17:53.221 they help her relax. They don't help me relax. They I find 249 00:17:53.221 --> 00:17:56.741 puzzles a little bit stressful because I can't find the pieces 250 00:17:56.741 --> 00:18:01.401 and I want to I think I'm too motivated get it done. But Jen 251 00:18:01.401 --> 00:18:05.080 just likes finding the pieces and finding where they go and 252 00:18:05.080 --> 00:18:10.240 putting them in place. So do a puzzle. Look at the stars. So 253 00:18:10.241 --> 00:18:13.921 we had you know watch the sunrise or watch the sunset. 254 00:18:13.921 --> 00:18:17.681 You can also just go lay outside at night in the grass 255 00:18:17.681 --> 00:18:21.361 and look at the stars or look at the moon. For me this is 256 00:18:21.361 --> 00:18:25.721 very relaxing. Um I don't know what it's like where you live. 257 00:18:25.721 --> 00:18:29.861 Where I live it's very dark at night because I live out in the 258 00:18:29.861 --> 00:18:34.380 countryside. So if I lay in the grass at night and look up at 259 00:18:34.381 --> 00:18:39.741 the stars I can see them very very well. Um it's very clear. 260 00:18:39.741 --> 00:18:43.340 Um it's very dark. It's very easy for me to see the stars. 261 00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:47.340 So you want to relax. Um get a blanket. Throw it down in the 262 00:18:47.340 --> 00:18:52.180 lawn. Lay down on your back at night and look at the stars. 263 00:18:52.181 --> 00:18:57.001 Very very relaxing. And you can do the same thing during the 264 00:18:57.001 --> 00:19:00.401 day. You can look at the clouds. This is a fun thing to 265 00:19:00.401 --> 00:19:04.681 do with kids. Because sometimes the clouds look like different 266 00:19:04.681 --> 00:19:08.281 things. You could say oh that cloud looks like a cat. That 267 00:19:08.281 --> 00:19:12.481 cloud looks like a potato. But most clouds look like mashed 268 00:19:12.481 --> 00:19:15.521 potatoes don't they? But anyways do the same thing. Go 269 00:19:15.521 --> 00:19:19.041 to the park. Bring a blanket. Lay the blanket down. Lay on 270 00:19:19.041 --> 00:19:23.560 your back. And watch the clouds go by. That's another way we 271 00:19:23.561 --> 00:19:30.501 say it. Or look at the clouds. Daydream. So daydreaming is 272 00:19:30.501 --> 00:19:35.621 similar to meditation. Um but it's a little more relaxing I 273 00:19:35.621 --> 00:19:38.900 think. Maybe. Is that a good way to describe it? Daydreaming 274 00:19:38.901 --> 00:19:41.741 is when you just think about whatever you feel like thinking 275 00:19:41.741 --> 00:19:45.701 about. It also usually means you're not thinking about what 276 00:19:45.701 --> 00:19:49.221 you're supposed to be. Thinking about. Sometimes students in 277 00:19:49.221 --> 00:19:52.261 class will be day dreaming. They're not listening to me. 278 00:19:52.261 --> 00:19:55.701 They're not doing their work. They're just kind of lost in 279 00:19:55.701 --> 00:20:00.580 their own thoughts. And they're thinking about maybe their new 280 00:20:00.580 --> 00:20:03.500 phone or they're thinking about what they're doing later that 281 00:20:03.501 --> 00:20:06.821 day. Um or they're thinking about their future. Or they're 282 00:20:06.821 --> 00:20:12.181 remembering something fun that happened the weekend before. Um 283 00:20:12.181 --> 00:20:18.561 so Daydreaming. Just a time to think about whatever and to not 284 00:20:18.561 --> 00:20:24.521 be stressed to relax a little bit. Smell some flowers. Again 285 00:20:24.521 --> 00:20:29.681 when I think about relaxing I do often think about things in 286 00:20:29.681 --> 00:20:32.921 terms of smells. It's nice to smell a fire. It's nice to 287 00:20:32.921 --> 00:20:37.521 smell the soap from a warm bath. It's nice to smell yummy 288 00:20:37.521 --> 00:20:41.201 food cooking. It's also really nice to smell flowers. This is 289 00:20:41.201 --> 00:20:44.681 lavender. Lavender has a beautiful aroma. It's a 290 00:20:44.681 --> 00:20:49.481 beautiful smelling flower. So take some time if there are 291 00:20:49.481 --> 00:20:53.921 flowers available in the season you in. For me I have to go to 292 00:20:53.921 --> 00:20:56.801 a special store to smell flowers right now because it's 293 00:20:56.801 --> 00:21:00.521 winter. I have to go smell flowers that have been imported 294 00:21:00.521 --> 00:21:04.801 from somewhere. But if you can smell some flowers. We usually 295 00:21:04.801 --> 00:21:08.080 keep some dried lavender in the house so we can just go and 296 00:21:08.080 --> 00:21:12.280 smell that because it keeps its smell even when it's dried. But 297 00:21:12.281 --> 00:21:17.681 go and smell some flowers. Listen to the ocean. Um you 298 00:21:17.681 --> 00:21:20.681 don't just have to listen to the ocean. You can listen to 299 00:21:20.681 --> 00:21:25.601 any kind of running water or moving water. I think this is 300 00:21:25.601 --> 00:21:31.281 similar to listening to a fire. When you hear waves crashing 301 00:21:31.281 --> 00:21:35.921 into the shore. When you hear a babbling brook or a running 302 00:21:35.921 --> 00:21:40.080 stream. When you hear the sound of water it's very relaxing. 303 00:21:40.080 --> 00:21:44.240 It's very soothing. So if you can go to the lake. Go to an 304 00:21:44.241 --> 00:21:48.681 ocean. Um go to a lake or the lake. If there's a specific 305 00:21:48.681 --> 00:21:52.881 lake go to the ocean. Uh go to a local stream or creek where 306 00:21:52.881 --> 00:21:56.381 you can hear Um go to a waterfall. You can listen to 307 00:21:56.381 --> 00:22:01.021 the thundering water. Uh but certainly the sound of water is 308 00:22:01.021 --> 00:22:07.540 amazing and is very helpful for relaxing. A hug or cuddle. So 309 00:22:07.541 --> 00:22:10.781 the difference between a hug and cuddling. When you hug 310 00:22:10.781 --> 00:22:14.101 someone it looks like this. You walk up you put your arms 311 00:22:14.101 --> 00:22:16.981 around each other and you give each other a hug. They've 312 00:22:16.981 --> 00:22:21.101 proven that when you hug someone it does physically make 313 00:22:21.101 --> 00:22:24.761 you feel better. I think different things are in your 314 00:22:24.761 --> 00:22:28.401 brain that make you feel relaxed and loved when you give 315 00:22:28.401 --> 00:22:31.561 someone a hug. A cuddle is a little bit different though. 316 00:22:31.561 --> 00:22:34.681 Cuddling is when you sit in the same place as someone and they 317 00:22:34.681 --> 00:22:38.401 sit close to you. Jen and I can cuddle while we watch a movie. 318 00:22:38.401 --> 00:22:40.801 That means Jen and I are sitting very close. I would 319 00:22:40.801 --> 00:22:44.201 probably have my arm around her. You can also have a kid 320 00:22:44.201 --> 00:22:47.321 who wants to cuddle. When kids are very very little. They like 321 00:22:47.321 --> 00:22:51.001 to sit with adults. They like to sit with their parents. So 322 00:22:51.001 --> 00:22:54.141 you might sit and have a kid cuddle with you. They sit with 323 00:22:54.141 --> 00:22:58.221 you or right beside you. One of my kids when they were little 324 00:22:58.221 --> 00:23:00.661 when they were four or five they would sit no matter where 325 00:23:00.661 --> 00:23:03.661 I sat they would sit right beside me and then they would 326 00:23:03.661 --> 00:23:08.261 try to snuggle or cuddle. So anyways definitely something 327 00:23:08.261 --> 00:23:11.741 that will make you relax. Give someone a hug today. An 328 00:23:11.741 --> 00:23:15.741 appropriate hug. Not some random person. Someone either 329 00:23:15.741 --> 00:23:20.760 your spouse or someone who would be expecting it. Uh so 330 00:23:20.761 --> 00:23:25.320 some people like to burn incense or light a candle. When 331 00:23:25.321 --> 00:23:29.201 you do either of these things it kind of creates an aroma. It 332 00:23:29.201 --> 00:23:32.961 creates a nice smell in the area. I'm not someone who 333 00:23:32.961 --> 00:23:35.961 normally burns incense but I had a friend at college who 334 00:23:35.961 --> 00:23:39.761 like to burn incense. And the room always had a very nice 335 00:23:39.761 --> 00:23:43.601 relaxing smell to it. You can get the same effect by lighting 336 00:23:43.601 --> 00:23:47.041 a candle and the bonus with a candle is you can watch the 337 00:23:47.041 --> 00:23:53.600 flame flicker. That's very enjoyable and relaxing as well. 338 00:23:53.601 --> 00:23:57.061 So not everyone drinks alcoholic beverages. I 339 00:23:57.061 --> 00:24:00.580 recognize that. That not all of you are people who like to have 340 00:24:00.580 --> 00:24:04.260 a glass of wine. But some people do like to have a drink. 341 00:24:04.261 --> 00:24:07.981 They like to drink an alcoholic beverage to relax. So they 342 00:24:07.981 --> 00:24:10.661 might come home from work on a Friday and have a glass of 343 00:24:10.661 --> 00:24:14.541 wine. Uh they might go with friends for drinks at a bar on 344 00:24:14.541 --> 00:24:18.141 a Saturday night. They might just have a drink of something 345 00:24:18.141 --> 00:24:23.441 in order to relax a little bit. Jen and I in English We would 346 00:24:23.441 --> 00:24:26.720 say Jen and I aren't big drinkers. So I do like to have 347 00:24:26.721 --> 00:24:30.201 beer every once in a while. And I do like to have a glass of 348 00:24:30.201 --> 00:24:34.361 wine with dinner every once in a while. But we certainly do 349 00:24:34.361 --> 00:24:39.401 not like when I buy a case of beer it lasts six months. I 350 00:24:39.401 --> 00:24:43.080 just don't drink a lot. But having something to drink can 351 00:24:43.080 --> 00:24:50.340 be relaxing. Take a vacation. So when you go somewhere else 352 00:24:50.340 --> 00:24:55.820 when you stop doing your daily routine and you go somewhere 353 00:24:55.821 --> 00:25:00.221 else for a little while. This can be very very relaxing. Um 354 00:25:00.221 --> 00:25:03.421 you can forget about life for a while we would say in English. 355 00:25:03.421 --> 00:25:07.621 You can take some time to enjoy another country. Maybe you go 356 00:25:07.621 --> 00:25:10.741 on a trip with friends or relatives and you can enjoy 357 00:25:10.741 --> 00:25:14.621 each other's company. But certainly taking a vacation is 358 00:25:14.621 --> 00:25:20.861 a great way to relax. I need to do this soon I think. Hello at 359 00:25:20.861 --> 00:25:23.901 a photo album. This is something that Jen and I do 360 00:25:23.901 --> 00:25:27.381 sometimes with our kids. Um we'll pull out a photo album 361 00:25:27.381 --> 00:25:32.900 and actual photo album. We have photo albums. We try to get 362 00:25:32.901 --> 00:25:36.941 about 100 pictures a year developed or printed and we put 363 00:25:36.941 --> 00:25:40.261 them in an actual album and sometimes we'll sit and look at 364 00:25:40.261 --> 00:25:43.461 them and with the kids and we'll laugh about how they 365 00:25:43.461 --> 00:25:48.381 looked when they were younger or those kinds of things. Do 366 00:25:48.381 --> 00:25:54.840 some yoga or stretching. So yoga a type of movement a type 367 00:25:54.840 --> 00:26:00.440 of exercise that helps you relax. It primarily focuses on 368 00:26:00.441 --> 00:26:05.801 stretching out the muscles and having good balance. Balance is 369 00:26:05.801 --> 00:26:09.561 what keeps you from falling over. In order to do this yoga 370 00:26:09.561 --> 00:26:12.641 pose you would need really good balance. You would need to be 371 00:26:12.641 --> 00:26:16.201 able to stand on one leg and you would need to have really 372 00:26:16.201 --> 00:26:20.801 good flexibility. Flexibility is the ability well to put your 373 00:26:20.801 --> 00:26:24.941 leg like You would need to be very flexible to put your leg 374 00:26:24.941 --> 00:26:29.141 like that. So do some yoga. Do some stretching. Maybe take a 375 00:26:29.141 --> 00:26:34.381 class. There's a new yoga class in my town. Maybe I should join 376 00:26:34.381 --> 00:26:38.580 and do some yoga. I think that might be good for me with my 51 377 00:26:38.580 --> 00:26:44.480 year old body to do some stretching and do some yoga. Go 378 00:26:44.481 --> 00:26:49.281 barefoot. There's something fun in particular about what this 379 00:26:49.281 --> 00:26:53.001 guy is doing. He's walking or running a little bit along the 380 00:26:53.001 --> 00:26:56.481 beach and he is barefoot. He doesn't have socks on. He 381 00:26:56.481 --> 00:27:01.080 doesn't have shoes on and he's walking on the sand. Going 382 00:27:01.080 --> 00:27:06.120 barefoot has has it's just a really nice feeling. Especially 383 00:27:06.121 --> 00:27:09.840 where he's doing it. I often when I go to the beach like to 384 00:27:09.840 --> 00:27:15.300 walk along the water's edge. Barefoot feel the sand between 385 00:27:15.301 --> 00:27:19.981 my toes and listen to the waves. You can also go barefoot 386 00:27:19.981 --> 00:27:23.580 at the park. Uh walking around in the grass barefoot can be 387 00:27:23.580 --> 00:27:27.780 fun as well. But this is probably the place where I go 388 00:27:27.781 --> 00:27:33.681 barefoot the most often. Take a nap. I think this one doesn't 389 00:27:33.681 --> 00:27:37.321 need much explanation. Um but when you take a nap maybe 390 00:27:37.321 --> 00:27:40.241 you're in the middle of studying for an exam. And you 391 00:27:40.241 --> 00:27:43.641 just decide you know what I need a 10 minute nap to relax. 392 00:27:43.641 --> 00:27:47.401 I'm too stressed. I need to just take some time to relax. 393 00:27:47.401 --> 00:27:51.201 So close your eyes. Fall asleep for a little bit. And then when 394 00:27:51.201 --> 00:27:54.641 you wake up five or 10 minutes later hopefully you're 395 00:27:54.641 --> 00:27:58.601 reenergized and more relaxed and able to do what you need to 396 00:27:58.601 --> 00:28:04.861 do. Go to a concert similar to listening to music. I mean you 397 00:28:04.861 --> 00:28:08.981 can put music on the radio. Uh you can listen to music with 398 00:28:08.981 --> 00:28:13.661 your stereo or your sound system. You can put in earbuds 399 00:28:13.661 --> 00:28:17.061 or headphones and listen to music or you can go to a 400 00:28:17.061 --> 00:28:22.101 concert. Um a heavy metal rock concert might not be relaxing. 401 00:28:22.101 --> 00:28:25.861 But certainly some kind of classical music or some sort of 402 00:28:25.861 --> 00:28:30.961 quieter music might be very relaxing and enjoyable for you. 403 00:28:30.961 --> 00:28:35.541 I A few years ago fidget spinners became very very 404 00:28:35.541 --> 00:28:39.221 popular. A fidget spinner is a little device that you can use 405 00:28:39.221 --> 00:28:42.901 with your hand and you can spin it and it would keep spinning 406 00:28:42.901 --> 00:28:47.101 for a long time. We don't see these at school very often 407 00:28:47.101 --> 00:28:50.621 anymore. They were popular about seven or eight years ago. 408 00:28:50.621 --> 00:28:54.781 But certainly there's a number of different things that people 409 00:28:54.781 --> 00:28:59.901 buy that they can manipulate with their hands. Some people 410 00:28:59.901 --> 00:29:03.661 will do this to relax. They'll I can't do it. But they'll spin 411 00:29:03.661 --> 00:29:08.101 a pen. They'll fidget in some way and that helps them to 412 00:29:08.101 --> 00:29:12.381 relax. Um yeah I should learn to do that. Drummers can do 413 00:29:12.381 --> 00:29:17.021 that right? This is my very poor example of spinning a pen 414 00:29:17.021 --> 00:29:22.781 but fidgeting can help people relax. A fidget spinner is one 415 00:29:22.781 --> 00:29:28.621 device you can use to do that. 416 00:29:29.241 --> 00:29:32.821 There's something about chocolate that makes me quite 417 00:29:32.821 --> 00:29:36.021 relaxed. This is a nice box of chocolates. There's even a 418 00:29:36.021 --> 00:29:39.581 white chocolate heart in the middle. But eating chocolate. 419 00:29:39.581 --> 00:29:44.301 Eat some chocolate is a great recommendation in order to 420 00:29:44.301 --> 00:29:48.501 relax a little bit. Um I've done this too much though. Over 421 00:29:48.501 --> 00:29:52.701 the Christmas break there was a lot of chocolate around. I 422 00:29:52.701 --> 00:29:56.221 spent too much time eating chocolate. Um I should have 423 00:29:56.221 --> 00:30:00.280 spent more time walking. Uh and so now I'm more time walking 424 00:30:00.281 --> 00:30:04.241 and less time eating chocolate. But if you want to relax eat 425 00:30:04.241 --> 00:30:09.721 some chocolate. Get some sunshine. There's something 426 00:30:09.721 --> 00:30:14.161 very healthy about having the sun hit your skin. It helps 427 00:30:14.161 --> 00:30:19.001 your body make vitamin D. So it actually has a benefit. Um but 428 00:30:19.001 --> 00:30:22.641 it also feels good. It feels good to feel the warmth of the 429 00:30:22.641 --> 00:30:27.121 sun. If you work inside and you don't have a lot of windows 430 00:30:27.121 --> 00:30:30.921 where you work. Um it's nice to get outside at lunch time if 431 00:30:30.921 --> 00:30:34.361 the weather's nice. And just feel the sun on your skin. It's 432 00:30:34.361 --> 00:30:37.921 nice to get some sunshine. Um not too much though if you're 433 00:30:37.921 --> 00:30:41.441 someone like me. 20 minutes or more in the sun without 434 00:30:41.441 --> 00:30:46.601 sunscreen and I get and I burn. But definitely spend some time 435 00:30:46.601 --> 00:30:51.281 outside. Get some sunshine. Uh on your face on your arms. 436 00:30:51.281 --> 00:30:56.581 Great for relaxing. Try acupuncture. So I'm not 437 00:30:56.581 --> 00:31:00.341 familiar with this. But I have been told that this can be very 438 00:31:00.341 --> 00:31:05.021 relaxing. Acupuncture is when small pins are put into your 439 00:31:05.021 --> 00:31:11.261 skin just gently. And it helps to reconnect the flow of energy 440 00:31:11.261 --> 00:31:15.141 through your body. I'm not an expert on acupuncture. But my 441 00:31:15.141 --> 00:31:18.061 understanding is that acupuncture can feel really 442 00:31:18.061 --> 00:31:22.821 good. It can help your body to feel whole and reconnected. So 443 00:31:22.821 --> 00:31:26.861 try some acupuncture. I should try this. Jen has said before 444 00:31:26.861 --> 00:31:31.021 that I have a shoulder that gets sore sometimes and she has 445 00:31:31.021 --> 00:31:34.421 said you should try acupuncture. She hasn't tried 446 00:31:34.421 --> 00:31:37.381 it but she thinks I should try it and then let her know how it 447 00:31:37.381 --> 00:31:41.261 went. So if any of you know a bit more about acupuncture let 448 00:31:41.261 --> 00:31:46.661 me know in the chat or the comments. Clean your house. So 449 00:31:46.661 --> 00:31:51.661 this is an interesting one because for me the relaxing 450 00:31:51.661 --> 00:31:55.541 part about cleaning the house isn't the cleaning. It's how I 451 00:31:55.541 --> 00:32:00.381 feel when I'm done cleaning. When our is clean I am more 452 00:32:00.381 --> 00:32:04.581 relaxed. When our house is messy I am not relaxed. But 453 00:32:04.581 --> 00:32:09.381 some people actually find the act of cleaning. That cleaning 454 00:32:09.381 --> 00:32:14.621 itself can be very relaxing. Um but for me like cleaning the 455 00:32:14.621 --> 00:32:17.821 toilets and doing the dishes and mopping the floor that's 456 00:32:17.821 --> 00:32:21.701 work. But when I'm all done on a Saturday when the house is 457 00:32:21.701 --> 00:32:26.741 clean I am very very relaxed. It is a very nice feeling to 458 00:32:26.741 --> 00:32:33.221 have your house clean. Dance again any kind of physical 459 00:32:33.221 --> 00:32:37.301 activity will help you relax but dancing in particular can 460 00:32:37.301 --> 00:32:41.741 have an extremely good effect on you. Especially if you're 461 00:32:41.741 --> 00:32:45.101 doing it somewhere fun. When our kids were little we would 462 00:32:45.101 --> 00:32:49.421 turn up really loud music and we would dance just for fun. 463 00:32:49.421 --> 00:32:53.980 And it would help all of us to laugh and relax and enjoy each 464 00:32:53.981 --> 00:32:59.401 other's company. So dance a little bit. Um maybe fun some 465 00:32:59.401 --> 00:33:02.361 music where you can learn some English and dance to it a 466 00:33:02.361 --> 00:33:06.481 little bit. Don't worry. No one's watching you. And then 467 00:33:06.481 --> 00:33:11.761 laugh. Laughter it this is another one where I think it's 468 00:33:11.761 --> 00:33:15.761 just magical in some ways. When I say magical it means we don't 469 00:33:15.761 --> 00:33:20.801 quite understand how it works. But laughing can just make you 470 00:33:20.801 --> 00:33:25.320 feel better and really help you to relax. There's nothing like 471 00:33:25.321 --> 00:33:29.201 sitting with friends or sitting with family for an evening and 472 00:33:29.201 --> 00:33:33.441 talking and laughing. It just helps you forget about the 473 00:33:33.441 --> 00:33:36.121 world. It helps you forget about stressful things. It 474 00:33:36.121 --> 00:33:40.761 helps you enjoy what's happening. So laugh. Um go out 475 00:33:40.761 --> 00:33:44.601 with people who you enjoy spending time with and enjoy 476 00:33:44.601 --> 00:33:49.160 each other's company and laugh a little bit. And then lastly I 477 00:33:49.161 --> 00:33:52.961 don't have a slide for this one but spend time with your dog or 478 00:33:52.961 --> 00:33:55.521 your cat. I should have made a slide for this. I saw it 479 00:33:55.521 --> 00:33:58.761 mentioned in the comments earlier. Spending time with a 480 00:33:58.761 --> 00:34:04.561 pet has been proven to help people relax. Dogs love you. 481 00:34:04.561 --> 00:34:08.241 Your will always love you. No matter what happened during the 482 00:34:08.241 --> 00:34:11.641 day when you come home your dog will be happy to see you. So 483 00:34:11.641 --> 00:34:15.521 spend some time with your dog. Take your dog for a walk. Cats 484 00:34:15.521 --> 00:34:20.561 are interesting. When you pet cats they purr. Want me to make 485 00:34:20.561 --> 00:34:25.741 that sound? It's hard to make that sound. Cats will purr. 486 00:34:25.741 --> 00:34:30.940 When you pet a cat and it purrs there's kind of this reciprocal 487 00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:34.220 feeling. The cat's happy so you're happy and you can relax 488 00:34:34.221 --> 00:34:37.261 a little bit. So spend some time with your dog. Spend some 489 00:34:37.261 --> 00:34:42.141 time with your cat and that will help you relax a bit.