I hope you found yesterday’s post regarding Xerophilous, Xanadu, and X factor to be helpful. If you just joined this journey, be sure to take the time to go back and read from the beginning. Without delay, let’s get to it and discuss the letter “Y”.
Yelling, Yoga, Youthfulness
Yelling
Over 20 years ago, while working with my psychologist one day, he encouraged me to yell. It wasn’t about me yelling at him. It was to just yell. I don’t ever remember him explaining to me the benefits of doing so, but I definitely remember him telling me to do so.
We had visited a local park. It was nestled back into thick evergreen trees. The park was void of any cars or people. We began to talk about some traumatic events from my childhood. When there was a large moment of silence, he told me that he wanted me to yell. I remember looking at him and thinking to myself that he was truly crazy.
“Scream,” he stated. “At what?” I replied. “I want you to just scream and shout as loud as you can.” I remember thinking to myself, “Why would I do that? What am I supposed to be screaming at? His idea sounds so stupid. This is weird.” And so, I never did it. There were many reasons for not doing so at the time. Since then, I have learned about the health benefits from screaming and yelling.
Yell for stress relief
When you are yelling, do NOT yell at someone. Rather, stress-screaming is controlled and purposely planned to let out some steam verbally. In fact, screaming can have a cathartic effect, even therapeutic. When you have pent-up stress brewing in you, letting it out verbally can give you a sense of relief. Yell, scream, shout and let it all out!
Yoga
I think it’s safe to assume you have heard about yoga before now. You may have even tried it a time or two. If you haven’t, we’ll use a common definition for yoga as, “a system of exercises for attaining bodily or mental control and well-being.” So, you’re thinking, “What is all the fuss about yoga? Why is it so popular these days?”
Author Stephanie Watson wrote an article regarding Yoga for WebMD and stated this:
Virtually no other exercise program is as enduring as yoga. It’s been around for more than 5,000 years. Yoga does more than burn calories and tone muscles. It’s a total mind-body workout that combines strengthening and stretching poses with deep breathing and meditation or relaxation.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Seriously, who doesn’t want to feel more relaxed and comfortable? “Not me,” said NO ONE ever!
Benefits of Yoga
While there are easily dozens of different physical benefits from practicing yoga on a regular basis, there are just as many mental health benefits as well. Here is a brief list of the many well-known benefits shared by the American Osteopathic Association.
- help manage stress
- help in developing coping skills
- reaching a more positive outlook on life
- improved sense of well-being
- creates mental clarity and calmness
- increases body awareness
- relieves chronic stress patterns
- relaxes the mind
- centers attention
- sharpens concentration
If you don’t feel like you can do it, look for an alternative way to do it. There are thousands of free videos available at your local library and on youtube. You can take classes from a number of different resources. Taking into consideration the many benefits, it’s well worth your time to check it out yourself.
Youthfulness
It was during a trip to the coast one day that I was able to enjoy one of my most youthful moments ever. My friend and I were window shopping in a very small coastal town. It was during the winter season and the ocean was stirred up something fierce from a raging storm.
On the east side of the street were the many small shops. On the opposite side was a retaining wall where the waves normally rolled up against this man-made barrier. However, on this particular day, the waves were crashing hard against the middle and top of the cement wall, leaving a torrent of the salty ocean upon the sidewalks and into the road. It was amazing to watch.
I was with a good friend of mine and we had both escaped our family commitments, husbands, children, and other time obligations. This was our day to do with as we pleased. Well, we decided it would be great fun to stand at the brick wall as the waves were crashing over the top.
As you can imagine, in a very short amount of time, we were drenched in the salty water. But, I can’t begin to tell you how much fun we had that day. We screamed and giggled and laughed out loud. We acted and sounded like two young school girls. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day.
We had definitely experienced our youthfulness. My point is that sometimes you have to act like a child again. In fact, give yourself permission to do so! That turned out to be one of the most effective stress-relieving days in my life. It was most definitely one of the happiest!
As we continue this journey together, I encourage you to keep reading. If you have yet to find your own how or why to happiness, I strongly believe you will. Please come back tomorrow as we finish up The Alphabet of Happiness with the letter “Z”.
Copyright © Julie Corbett 2017
Thoughts by Ajae 
YES to yelling all the time. Get the energy out of your system, clear the air, YEAHHH
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