How do you handle STRESS in your life?  Learning how to handle stress makes all the difference

In your mental, as well as, physical health.  Yes, also your physical health.  Some people have headaches, tummy aches, or they get the shakes when under stress.   By the time your body is presenting with physical signs of stress your mental stress is on overload.

No matter how much you love your family, friends, and job there is always some stress that comes along with it.  Especially if you don’t love your family, friends, or job.  Then you have mega stress.  Sometimes it feels like it is coming at you from all angels and around corners.

It can be angry conversations, harassment, mistakes you have made and have to fess up to.  Running late for work or an appointment.  Feeling out of control about things that matter to you.  Not being heard or seen.

 Sometimes what you are doing in your personal life is all smooth.  Your stress comes from outside influences.  Family or friends confiding their problems to you causing you to worry for them.  This can be draining on you.

By taking steps to manage stressful situations you empower yourself to make better decisions to respond appropriately.  This also gives you and opportunity to make sure you stay well, both mentally and physically.  Take note of what stresses you.  Note it in a journal or use an APP for your phone.  Later go back and look at your list. 

Think about how you handled the issue causing the stress.  What could you have done differently?  Write it down beside the 1st note of what the stressor was.  Writing it down may seem like a waste of time or silly but this task actually helps your brain to remember the situation.  This way in the future you will unconsciously react in a better way when presented with a similar stressful situation.  Reacting quickly and better helps kill the stressor before it causes emotional or physical damage.

Tip #1   Remain calm, take a deep breath count to 5 or 10 in your head.  Listen to what’s happening around you before speaking or reacting.  This way you make a calmer choice on how to respond or maybe to just ignore the issue, maybe since you have taken time to reflect, assess, and listen it’s not that big a deal. 

Tip #2 Don’t take it personally. Don’t assume what’s being said is to or about you personally.  Focus on the other persons intentions.  Hear what is being said.  Maybe the other person is just blowing off steam being a jerk.  Perhaps they are impaired by drugs or alcohol.  Perhaps they are jealous of you for one reason or another and are simply lashing out. 

Tip #3 Don’t overcommit your time.  I realized I was stressed because I was always on the go.  Running to this meeting, helping this person, hurrying to appointments.  I had to stop and assess my schedule.  I came to realize I didn’t really like being on a committee at work.  It didn’t pay extra I was sort of volunteered for it by someone else (They probably didn’t want it so they dumped it on me.  At the time I felt flattered, silly me!)  I trimmed that off my schedule as well as a committee at church.  I realized I had been guilted into joining that team.  I felt bad to dump it, but my health is important to me and God.  I can serve him other ways.  After trimming my stressors, it’s now easier for me to no accept people wanting me to join, or help with causes, clubs, events.  If you can’t say NO, try saying “let me check my calendar, I’ll get back to you if I am free to help out. “   You are actually leaving the situation with closure.   You only have to get back to them if you want to take on the task.  This is learning to develop healthy boundaries. 

Avoiding stress isn’t possible.  It will pop up when least expected.  Learn how deal with your stressors.  By finding healthy ways to cope you will be taking charge of your life.  Investing in your self-care keeps you mentally and physically fit.  This will help keep mental issues like anxiety, depression and sleeplessness away. 

You will eventually find your life is more relaxed.  Don’t feel guilty about relaxing, enjoy your surroundings. Give yourself permission to relax, schedule it on your calendar as if it’s an appointment.  Don’t cancel this appointment for anyone!   Look around SEE what’s there find the beauty.  Hopefully this article gives some perspective on stress and helps, comment below let me know, this is my first article on this web site.