Stress is consuming. Our daily lives are consumed by how much stress our world puts on us, as well as how much we put on ourselves. I am even stressed about how many times I can say stress in this blog post without having to look for synonyms.
Our body’s natural reaction to uncertainty and discomfort is to signal the anxious side of our brain. Each person in the world has anxious behaviors, which are unique to everyone. The unknown is a scary place to be, but there are some people out there that seem to be able to tone down the anxious side of their brain and take on life, as an adventure, without a care in the world. I envy those people. However, the majority of us deal with stress regularly, it is the reason we don’t sleep well, why we are gaining weight or losing weight, it controls our food cravings, what clothes we want to wear and whether or not we even want to leave the house. It seems ridiculous to list off all those random ideas that are linked to stress, but I thought about it and it is true.
When something consumes our daily lives as much as this does, we can’t just power through it, because it will always show up again; like your obnoxious, ignorant aunt Judith, there to fight with you at every family gathering. But just like dealing with aunt Judith, sometimes we have to walk away from the fight, because we should be spending our days filled with joy, socializing without concerns, and sleeping, without listing all the things we have to do the next day.
These types of stressful reactions can take a toll on our bodies and our sanity. When consumed with stress I am not someone that people enjoy being around, but the worst part of it all is that everything that is eating me up inside is not even about my own life, but about work, friends, family, events; in reality, it does not directly link to me, it should not be a burden on my shoulders at all hours of the day, and it shouldn’t be on yours either.
I have made a shortlist of all the top ways to help deal with stress. Some of these habits are hard to pick up on and might take a few tries, but I can guarantee it will turn you into a whole new person.
- Buy a Journal and Journal Daily
- Find a Movement Routine you Enjoy and Exercise Daily
- Eat Healthily
- Cut Unhealthy Habits \not just with nutrition, but social habits too (for example, you’re allowed to say “no”) \
- Give Yourself an Hour a Day for self-care
- Read Before You go to Bed
- Step out of a Situation and Take 5 Deep Breaths before re-entering
- Go Outside More
- Find a Hobby you Enjoy
- Make your To-Do List before you leave work and don’t think about it at home
I hope some of these tips were helpful. Remember to take life one step at a time.
Live Passionately.