Stress Busters
“Breath is the power behind all things...I breathe in and know that good things will happen.”
My peer coach and I recently discussed the importance of understanding the words we use. For example, when we were both talking about stress, we discovered that the word “stress” meant very different things to each of us. For me, being stressed meant that I felt overwhelmed with too many obligations pulling me in different directions all at once. For her, stress meant not knowing what lies ahead. The uncertainty of the unknown brings up the feeling of stress in her.
When you think of stress, what does it mean for you?
An excerpt from the definition of stress from the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is “the overpowering pressure of some adverse force or influence”. When you are stressed, do you feel overpowered, unable to think properly or manage your emotions well? Do you feel overwhelmed like me?
Stress often manifests in us when we carry over yesterday’s concerns into our “todays”. An accumulation of this act of carrying over will almost always end up creating a high stress level situation for us. What can we do to let go of our stressful feelings and not let them overshadow our untainted present moments?
“Every day brings a choice:
To practise stress or to practise peace.”
– Joan Borysenko, American actress
Stress Busting Tip #1
Slowing down and being mindful of my breathing has always calmed me.
Experiment with this simple practice of taking deep breaths.
Resolve right now to release every thought from yesterday and be only mindful of the now…. this thought only...this breath...this moment. Take in three very deep breaths and slowly release each one.
At the same time, feel each and every concern, each and every problem, and each and every unresolved moment, begin to dissolve. You can deal with them at a later time. For now, you are only to be in this very moment.
Now go to your inner quiet place. Go deep inside to a place where you feel that you are at peace and then just relax and breathe in deeply and enjoy the feeling of being at one and at peace within yourself.
Use this special time and place to be calm. Free your mind and body of all worry, all regret, all disappointment, all anger and grief. Just enjoy this moment.
Stress Busting Tip #2
Next, think of one particular act, such as rocking your baby, taking a quick stroll, tending to your garden or listening to your favourite song. Commit to yourself to do that one simple thing every day. For me, it’s enjoying my morning coffee in the quiet of the morning when everyone is still asleep.
Practice this act of quiet and calm each day and you will see that you will regain your mental focus and inner peace. At the first sign of being stressed, recollect your feelings when you were doing this one simple thing that nourished you. Pause and take those deep breaths. Remember that if you don’t look after yourself, you will not be able to look after anyone else.
Stress Busting Tip #3
The very best thing that you can do for yourself is to eat, drink and rest – to your physical and mental health!
Stress is easily brought on by not eating and drinking properly. When you don’t get the number of hours of sleep that you need each night, you are only setting yourself up for additional stress.
Limit the amount of salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol in your diet. [I limit my coffee intake to twice a day and am working to reduce it further.] Drink plenty of water each day and do at least some moderate exercises each day.
Apart from physical nourishment and rest, remember to nourish your soul too. Find moments of laughter in your day. It is food for the soul! I play with my daughters and we laugh a lot during our times together.
It all stems from your understanding of a balanced life. What does that look like to you? Is it to have more time at home with the family? Is it to pursue the next advancement in your career? Is it to volunteer more to help your community? Is it to have more time for yourself? Regardless of how you define your balanced life, it is important to remember that in every situation, you have a choice. The choices may be obvious in some circumstances and unseen in others but they are always there. Once you are aware that you have choices, you do not feel as helpless as before.
When you are living a balanced life and find fulfilment and contentment in your “todays”, the daily stresses will pale in comparison. Identify the particular stressors in your life. See if you can do anything to change the circumstances. If you cannot do so, what can you change or shift in your thoughts about the situation? Resilience comes from re-evaluating a situation from a positive angle rather than focusing on the negative aspects of it. Focus on what you can change and start taking small steps to implement those changes, even if it means just starting to look at your situation from a different perspective.
If you are having difficulties dealing with the stresses in your life and feel alone in your circumstances, accept my invitation to join my group coaching intake this month where a small group of 4 to 5 individuals will meet fortnightly to receive coaching on improving their resilience towards their daily stressors. Find support and encouragement from me and from your peers. To take up this offer, please book a complimentary 30-minutes call with me to find out more.