3 Simple Secrets to Manage Stress
Stress is an unavoidable aspect of our lives in today’s hectic world, but you can reduce it by using the following three secrets:
1. Evaluate your sources of stress
2. Take care of yourself
3. Let go and allow the storms to pass
We'll talk more about each one, right below! Read on for an invaluable guide on how to manage stress in your everyday life and feel better at home and at work!
-Sources of Stress-
There are many sources from which we derive stress - school, work, financial troubles, family issues - but it's important to first identify which ones are major contributors to your discomfort so that you can then deal with them accordingly.
1. Evaluate your sources of stress
It's important to take stock of where your stress stems from. Take a few minutes right now - after you're done reading this article, of course! - and jot down in a notebook all the main reasons why you feel stressed out most of the time. You might find that one major source of your stress is work, for example, or relationship issues with family and friends, or personal finances. Make sure to list every single thing that causes you to feel uneasy and out-of-kilter. It will be helpful to refer back to this list later on when we look at ways to manage the different sources of stress in more detail.
2. Take care of yourself
How are you taking care of yourself? A lot of people don't think about that question and thus fail to realize how important it is to take good care of your body. You need to eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep each night. If you don't take good care of yourself, your stress levels will only continue to escalate over time!
3. Let go and allow the storms to pass
Life is full of ups and downs, so when you become stressed out from a particular situation or set of circumstances, remember that the storm will pass at some point down the road. The sooner you realize this, the better. Be patient and positive and you'll see that life is a lot easier to deal with when you are able to let go of things that don't matter, be happy with the situation in front of you right now and accept everything as it comes.
4. Get social support
Having at least one ally who can hold your hand during a stressful time is invaluable but difficult to find. This can be a family member or friend who can lend an ear or provide advice in times of need, but it may also be very useful to seek out a coping buddy from your workplace or from your social life as well. A second pair of ears always helps and verbal support can be a good supplement to, or even substitute for, written journaling, which can also be a very useful tool in managing stress.
5. Seek out new experiences
Taking on a new challenge in life is not only fun, but it can greatly help you reduce your stress levels. There's always something to learn about everything you encounter in life and once you are able to learn new things, your mind becomes sharper and more alert than before. Even if you don't have time to learn a new language, you can simply introduce yourself to a new culture by taking a trip somewhere or joining a local art class, for example.
6. Make friends
The more people who are around you that are enjoying life, the easier it is for you to enjoy life too! Having friends who understand how important it is to enjoy your life can be very helpful as well. New friendships also bring new perspectives on old problems and thus give you an extra push in solving them, which will definitely make your stress levels decrease along the way!
7. Learn to laugh
Laughter is a wonderful tool in relieving stress. Not only does it bring a smile to your face, but it also releases feel-good hormones that have an overall relaxing effect on your entire body. Laughter can be simple and heart-warming, like watching a comedy movie or reading some funny jokes, but it can also be more sophisticated and intellectually stimulating as well! For example, you could try learning how to play the guitar and/or piano if you haven't already - these are two fun ways that many people learn while helping their stress levels as well!
8. Keep a positive attitude
If you can't see the positive side to a particular situation, why would you let it get you down? It's important to stay open-minded and look at things from all sides, even when they make you feel bad. If a certain situation makes you feel sad or angry, try to push aside your negative feelings and focus on just how great the rest of your life is! Think positively of all that life has given you so far and all the good things that are on the horizon.
A positive attitude will help you keep stress at bay as well, no matter what situation is going on around you. It's okay not to be perfect - instead, just be happy for the simple things in life and appreciate the present moment.
9. Listen to calming music
Music is an awesome stress reliever! There are tons of different genres which will put you in a better state of mind; it all comes down to personal preferences. But whatever you choose, remember that calm music is most effective at reducing your stress levels as it evokes emotions and memories of good times and positive events. By listening to calming music, you are making sure that you are dealing with your stress head-on instead of just ignoring it!
10. Talk to someone
Spending some time with a friend or family member can greatly help you deal with your stress levels. Don't feel like you have to keep things bottled up inside! By sharing your problems with a friend, you will have the added benefit of feeling less alone and more understood. After all, no one is perfect and everyone needs someone to talk to in order to let out their frustrations now and then.
11. Practice mindfulness
Stressful situations can sometimes cause people to become too focused on the negative side of life, so practicing mindfulness is actually a very valuable tool for helping you deal with stress in positive ways instead. Mindfulness is a form of meditation in which you focus on the present moment, staying in touch with your body and observing all the thoughts, sounds, smells and so forth around you. Once you have taken a few minutes to practice mindfulness, you'll realize just how much things have annoyed and bothered you over the course of your day - this is a very enlightening experience in itself!
12. Just breathe
When your stress levels are at an all-time high, it's often hard to concentrate or think about anything else other than how stressed out you currently feel.
Conclusion
If you act on these stress relieving ideas, you'll feel less stressed in your everyday life.
Stress does not only affect your health, but it also affects your relationships and impacts the quality of life that you enjoy in general. So take some time out of every single day to relax and enjoy yourself, be it by listening to music or taking a walk by the park. The benefits will come and they are worth it!
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