When it comes to stress, some people seem to naturally handle it much more effectively and in healthier ways than other people. Of course, having coping mechanisms in place from childhood can help a great deal, but not everyone gets to learn how they deal with things in the most constructive ways possible at such a young age. As we grow up, we may also adopt not-so-healthy ways of dealing with stress, so sometimes we have to unlearn what we learned and start over.
If you feel like you should be armed with more ways to deal with stress in healthy ways, read on! Some of these stress relievers might surprise you, while others probably won’t. However, you can surely benefit from them as so many people already do, so even implementing one of these things may change your life for the better.
1. Simplify. Oftentimes, our stress comes from taking on too much and not feeling like we have a moment to breathe or relax every once in a while. Making our lives simpler can help reduce your stress and improve your overall quality of life. When things are simpler, life feels less overwhelming… so anything you can trim from your life without it having detrimental effects on your family, career, or life overall might just be the stress relief you need.
2. Meditate. Meditation has been proven to improve quality of life, brain function, and your overall health, making it a go-to method for many mindful leaders. Studies have found that people who meditate often are healthier, happier, and don’t suffer as much from depression, anxiety, or other health problems. One of the most amazing things about meditation is that it’s easy to begin and all you need is yourself. If you’d like to learn more or explore free resources for guided meditation, a good place to start is www.freemindfulness.org. For more detailed information and statistics about studies on meditation, please read this article: http://liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation/.
3. Write. Journaling has its own unique benefits that are very similar to those of meditation, especially if you feel like you have a lot of things to work through and don’t like the idea of keeping those things in your head. Keeping a journal allows you to consciously write down what’s going on, express your stress or other emotions freely, and begin to subconsciously work through whatever problem you might be facing. Writing it down also means that you can go back later and look at the issues from a more objective point of view, making the problem easier to solve.
4. Get moving. Whether you start a scheduled exercise plan specifically to work out or simply decide to be more active around the house or at work, getting up and moving is extremely important for the human body. Blood flow, weight loss, increased energy, and a stronger immune system are just a few of the benefits of getting up and moving around, even if it’s only for 20-30 minutes a day. Your body will thank you for it!
5. Talk to someone. This could be a friend, family member, partner, counselor, or coach; it’s up to you who you want to talk to. Talking about things is similar to writing it down because you get it out of your head and then have the added benefit of getting feedback from someone with a different point of view. You may not be certain what to do, but talking to someone may help you regain your sense of direction. Coaches are specifically trained to do this, so if you need to figure out what to do next, a life or business coach may be able to help you in a significant way.
Everyone gets stressed out from time to time, but knowing how to handle it when it happens is key in keeping your head straight and not falling into negative or damaging habits. Those who have ever turned to alcohol, smoking, drugs, binge eating, or a sugar addiction know exactly how bad damaging habits can be for your overall health and wellness. Once you fall into an unhealthy way of dealing with things, it’s much more difficult to get out of those habits than if you don’t turn to them in the first place.
What do you do when you’re stressed out, and how does it help you? Please feel free to get in touch with us and fill us in! Leave a comment below or drop us a quick message via the contact page.
