This is the first of five Skill Development Exercise self-reflection journal entries. These reflective activities are intended to give you an opportunity to practice stress management strategies and reflect on the outcomes. The goal is to help you develop a stress management toolkit that you can use and share with others in your work or home life.

Your first Skill Development Exercise focuses on using personal energy to deal with stressors. In order to complete this activity, you will need to practice the
Donna Eden Five Minute Routine (Links to an external site.)
(8 minute video), as well as the routine found in chapter 4 of The art of peace and relaxation workbook, specifically exercise 4.7 Subtle Energy System VitaminsPreview the document. You should practice these at least four days.

Then address the following questions in a short self-reflection.

After practicing the energy routines for a minimum of 4 days, what differences have you noticed in your personal energy levels? To what extent do you believe the differences were due to the energy routine? (If you did not notice any differences in your personal energy level, please speculate why.)
How does the personal energy routine impact life stressors?
What benefits could be obtained by continuing this energy routine in your personal life? Are there any challenges or barriers to continuing this routine? If so, how can these be addressed?