One of the most common phrases I hear from people when I ask “How are you?” is, “I’m stressed out!” This is no way to live, yet it’s all too common.
Everyone experiences stress from time to time, to some degree. Research indicates that 72% of people ages 18-35 report having a high level of stress, impacting their mental, emotional or physical health and well-being.
Stress in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The RIGHT type of stress can produce positive changes in us and help us to grow and THRIVE. We purposefully give ourselves physical stress when we work out to become STRONGER. We also experience good stress when we learn a new skill, get excited, or take on a new challenge (job, college, relationship).
All stress triggers our hormonal and nervous systems into a “fight or flight” response. Our bodies release cortisol, and we begin operating in survival mode. Acute stress, a quick onset, short-lived response, is a normal reaction to life’s challenges and pressures. This response is necessary to take action or to keep us safe. But, eventually we problem-solve, implement strategies to cope, and our nervous systems return to baseline.
HOWEVER, if our stress becomes chronic (i.e. long-standing), this leads to breakdown, burnout, and illness. Chronic stress can impact every system of the body, directly contributing to disorders and disease, affecting mental, emotional and physical health, which reduces our overall quality of life.
This chronic stress is what we need to get in check — ASAP.
The good news is that we have the power to decrease our stress. It’s all about taking action and reframing our mindset. When we think we have no control over our stress, no solutions or strategies to cope, we feel hopeless, and the cycle of stress, anxiety and overwhelm continues, leading us further away from THRIVING. We are merely hanging on by a thread and trying to survive.
On the contrary, when we take action to address our stress, we feel empowered and put back into the driver’s seat of our lives.
There are MANY ways you can take control of your stress and put it in check so you can live a more peaceful and joy-filled life.
One main strategy to handle stress is to focus on staying away from things, events, circumstances, or even people that cause it. This isn’t always easy, but knowing and being mindful of what makes us feel stressed is the beginning of taking control over our emotions and thoughts. We need to take the time to manage the stress in our lives by having boundaries, protecting ourselves from stress and negativity.
We all have issues, circumstances, people, jobs, lives, past resentments, or future worries that impact us in negative ways. If we don’t manage these stressors, they start to infiltrate us and work their way into all parts of our existence.
In times of acute stress, trauma, or emotionally intense moments, we need immediate strategies to get us out of the “Red Zone.” Engaging in self-care and self-soothing activities are the 911 emergency support for these stressful moments. These tools enable and empower us to take control to calm our nervous systems during times of intense distress. Self-soothing brings us back to a more centered and grounded place, and resets our bodily systems to homeostasis.
Here are some “Emergency Support” strategies to help calm down and get back into balance.
• Meditation: Engage in a guided meditation.
• Self-talk: Repeat the mantra: “I AM OK! This will pass. What I am feeling now will get better. I will ask for help if I need it. I AM OK. I just need to sit here and breathe in and out until I calm down.”
• Breathe: Close your eyes, putting your one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Inhale, ”smell the flowers,” hold to a count of 3. Exhale, “Blow out the candle” on the count of 3. Each time you breathe, picture soothing blue light moving up to the top of your head on the inhale, and moving down to your feet on the exhale. Repeat this until you feel calm.
• Exercise / take a walk: Move your body to get rid of some of the energy of big, overwhelming emotions. Sweat it out!
• Get into nature: Going outside in soothing nature, near water, helps calm emotions.
Other quick tips:
• Listen to calming music.
• Close your eyes and become mindful of the sounds around you.
• Place essential oils on the inside of your wrists.
• Drink a warm cup of tea and warm your hands on the mug; use a heated pack or soak hands in warm water.
• Get a massage ASAP!
Here are some practices to implement into your daily routine to help reduce stress and burnout, and improve your overall health and wellness:
• Daily meditation, journal, prayer or sitting in silence.
• Mindfulness activities. Stay present in the NOW.
• Turn off. Take a digital detox.
• Practice gratitude.
• Immerse yourself into nature.
• Control and manage your thoughts. Pivot away from the negative anxious loop.
• SLOW DOWN and SIMPLIFY your life.
• Move your body and eat a balanced diet to keep you healthy.
• Laugh and PLAY.
• Surround yourself with positive people, experiences and interactions that LIFT you up.
The more you practice self-soothing skills and implement stress management strategies as part of your daily routine, the better equipped you will be to manage stress when it comes your way in the future.
You are strengthening your ability to cope by feeling good in the NOW. And THAT, my fellow readers, is part of living a THRIVING life!
Until next month, keep on thriving!
