It's a common misconception that you have to avoid any stress at all costs, however if you live on a planet called Earth (which I'm assuming you all do) it's virtually impossible. Stress is a necessary evil, it's part of being human and experiencing real human emotions. Yes, some of us get stressed a little easier than others (I'm definitely one of them) but it's not about eradicating it completely, it's about finding the right balance.
I've learnt how to manage stress throughout 2014, after having a mental health breakdown during my final year at University. I needed to learn fast to be able to get through to graduation and move on with my life. As a result, I ended up doing a massive amount of research into stress management and would do whatever it took to relieve some of the crippling anxiety I was feeling due to stress.
I found one of the most effective ways to relieve some of the stress, was to unplug. Take yourself off the internet and just concentrate on whatever is getting on top of you. Give your a brain a little break from constantly ticking over and actually take in your surroundings and situations. You may find you're online more than you realise.
This also pairs nicely with my next point, pay attention to your thoughts and feelings. Really take time to sit on your own in a quiet room and listen to the thoughts zooming around your head. Are you surprised by what you find? Pay attention to how you body feels, do you feel tired? Any muscle aches? Focusing on your own body is a great meditation technique and it allows you to centre yourself in the here and now.
If you find that you just can't switch off, not even for 5 minutes, try focusing on the positives. I know that is a lot easier said than done (my friends and family will all vouch that I'm not the most positive person in the world) but by focusing on the positives, you can change your mood completely. For example, if you're stressed out about work, think about 3 things that you actually love about your job. By comparing the stress your going through with the overall positives, you'll be able to place your stress into context, balancing the good with the bad.
It all comes down to changing your own perception of a situation. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it's an easy thing to do because it's not, it's actually really freaking hard. But like anything, practice makes perfect and by doing any of these on a regular basis, you'll find your brain will retune and balance out your stress a lot more easily and naturally.
Great stress management resources:
Have you struggled with stress in the past? How do you deal with a stressful situation?
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