A mother-of-the-bride told this story: “My daughter is so stressed now about planning her wedding, that she is crying almost every night! The wedding is still four months away! What do we do?” Everyone experiences some anxiety before a long-anticipated event. Especially a wedding, where everyone tends to have very high expectations. Psychologists know that big changes in our lives, whether positive or negative, all generate some level of stress.
The funny thing is, it’s not usually the wedding day itself that is stressful. It’s all in the anticipation. And the stress is made worse by attending to the many, many details of making the wedding day all that it can be. So it becomes more important than ever, while working toward a wedding day, to practice good physical and mental health habits. Regular exercise is important. Work out that stress. Blow off that steam. Let go of certain feelings about certain people! Regulate your body and mind with walking or running or yoga or swimming. Whatever pleases you is the right exercise. And preferably it is something you can do every day.
Another good practice is to slow down for 20 minutes a day and sit quietly. You might have a formal meditation practice. Or it might be listening to relaxing guided visualizations that give you feelings of peace and serenity. Some providers, like Sunrise Guided Visualizations, even offer downloadable MP3s about “Pre-Wedding Jitters” to allow you to work through any nervousness, and begin to truly relax and enjoy this special experience. Finally, it is important to eat well while planning your wedding, whether large or small. Be good to your body. Feed yourselfnutritious, whole, healthy foods, and go easy on the white sugar and alcohol. Even too much caffeine may backfire during a stressful planning process.
A wedding is a wonderful, fun, and enjoyable event! Treat yourself right so that you can relax and enjoy every marvelous minute associated with it!