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Stress Management Guide

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”  ―Mother Teresa
Lotus flowers in the mist
Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic stress can have negative impacts on your physical and mental health. The good news is that there are many effective techniques to manage stress and many of the techniques overlap including overlap in immediate and slower cumulative effects. By incorporating these techniques into your daily life, you can reduce stress, improve your overall well-being, and lead a more fulfilling life.  

Immediate Effects:

These techniques can provide quick relief from stress and anxiety:

  • Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, without judgment. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without getting caught up in them. When we are mindful we can reframe our thoughts.  By cultivating mindfulness, we can reduce stress, anxiety, and improve our overall well-being.  Learn more: [Click Mindfulness].
     

  • Breathwork: Deep, purposeful breathing can give the body’s stress response a break, regulate emotions, reduce stress and improve overall well-being.  It can also improve heart rate variability (HRV), the natural occurring beat-to-beat variation in heart rate, which is beneficial for heart health.  Learn more: [Click Breathwork and Heart Coherence Breathing]. 
     

  • Physical Activity: Regular physical activity is essential for good physical and mental health, and the benefits of physical activity can be felt very quickly.  It can help reduce stress, improve mood, and boost energy levels. Whether its’ a brisk walk, yoga, dancing or swimming, find something that makes you happy and get moving!  Learn more: [Click Physical Activity].
     

  • Sound Healing: Sound healing is an ancient practice that uses vibrational energy to promote balance in both body and mind. When sound vibrations travel through the body, they can promote circulation, energy flow, and rejuvenation. The frequency of the sound is also believed to synchronize brain waves and activate a de-stressing response in the body, which has a soothing effect on the mind. Learn more: [Click Sound Healing].

“Tension is a habit. Relaxing is a habit. Bad habits can be broken, good habits formed.”  ―William James
Beautiful Sunset

  • Practice Calming Activities: Calming mindfulness activities that harness focus and peaceful energy can lower heart rate, allow release of tension, lower anxiety and increase self-awareness and attention.  To name a few: meditation, yoga, tai chi, gardening, walking, drawing, knitting, and writing.  What are your calming activities?
     

  • Take Self-Care Breaks: Take a break to restore energy and mental resources as well as decrease fatigue.  Breaks function both as prevention and intervention as regular breaks help you be more resilient when stressors arise.  If time is limited then take a few moments to pause and connect with your breath and be still.  Set a reminder to take pauses throughout the day.  Here's a free pause reminder: Click Triple Flame
     

  • Practice Joy: Happy Hormones, such as endorphins and dopamine, help elevate mood and promote relaxation. They can also lessen pain naturally.  Make time for the hobbies and experiences that bring you joy and the people and pets that put a smile on your face. 
     

  • Connect: Prolonged social isolation and loneliness have been linked to higher levels of norepinephrine, the “fight or flight” hormone.  Participating in a supportive social network and being part of a community can lower the levels of this stress hormone.  Volunteering for an organization that you believe in and spending time bonding with those closest to you can also help relieve stress.  Physical connection which includes holding and hugging releases the “love” hormone oxytocin.

Embracing a loved one
“A good way to overcome stress is to help others out of theirs.”
―Dada J. P. Vaswani

Slower, Cumulative Effects:

Consistent practice can yield significant benefits:

  • Creativity:  Creativity is a powerful tool for stress relief and personal growth. When we engage in creative activities, we enter a state of flow, where we become fully immersed in the present moment. This mindful state can help reduce stress and anxiety. Creativity also allows us to express our emotions, connect with our inner wisdom, and generate new ideas. For me creativity is one of my core values- it is where my mind is inspired by my heart.  Whether it's painting, writing, music, or any other creative pursuit, the process itself can be incredibly therapeutic. Don't worry about the end result; simply enjoy the experience.  Learn more: [Click Creativity].
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  • Spirituality: Spirituality is a personal connection to something greater than ourselves. This connection can provide a sense of perspective that helps relinquish the need to control every aspect of our lives. Spirituality can involve exploring questions of meaning, purpose, and connection to others, nature, and the universe. This inner journey often involves surrendering control and accepting life's uncertainties and can align us with our highest version of ourselves, leading to a deeper sense of peace, love, and joy.  By tapping into our spirituality, we can find solace, inspiration, a renewed sense of purpose, and the ability to let go.  Learn more: [Click Spirituality].
     

  • Purpose: Purpose is a guiding force that gives our lives meaning and direction. It helps us set goals, make decisions, and overcome challenges. When we live with purpose, we feel more fulfilled and less stressed, and it can increase our life span. By aligning our actions with our values and passions, we can create a life that is both meaningful and rewarding. The Japanese concept of Ikigai emphasizes finding joy and purpose in life which benefits not only the individual but also the community.  Learn more: [Click Ikigai].
     

  • Meditation: Our minds are often filled with countless thoughts, making it difficult to focus. Meditation is a practice that helps us train our minds to concentrate. By directing our attention to our breath, a specific object, or a mantra, we can calm our thoughts, and reduce stress. With regular practice, meditation can lead to increased focus, improved mental clarity, wisdom, and a deeper sense of inner peace.  Learn more: [Click Meditation]. 

“Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.”
— Kahlil Gibran

 

Birds flying from a tree

  • Prayer: Prayer is a practice that involves communicating with a higher power. It can offer solace, hope, community, and a sense of connection to something greater than oneself. Prayer can help reduce stress, anxiety, promote health, and overall well-being.  Learn more: [Click Prayer].
     

  • Gratitude: Gratitude is beneficial for our physical and mental health. It reduces stress, can improve sleep, immunity, and mood, and decrease depression, anxiety and inflammation in the body.  It can disconnect us from toxic thoughts and emotions by shifting our perspective to positive emotions.  It can increase satisfaction in our relationships and life and help build resilience. Start a gratitude journal: daily write three or more things for which you are grateful.  If you start sliding down the slope of negativity, shift your attention towards gratitude.  Learn more: [Click Gratitude].
     

  • Spending time in Nature: Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, involves spending time in nature. It can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, improve mood, and boost the immune system. Learn more: [Click Forest Bathing].  
     

  • Earthing | Grounding: Earthing involves making direct contact with the earth's electrical energy by going barefoot. This simple practice can have profound health benefits. As you ground yourself, negative ions from the earth enter your body, neutralizing harmful free radicals and reducing inflammation. This can lead to improved sleep, reduced stress, and overall enhanced well-being. Spend time barefoot on natural surfaces like beaches, forests, or grassy areas. If outdoor access is limited, grounding mats can be used indoors.  Learn more: [Click Earthing | Grounding]. 

Peaceful mountain scene

“These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” 
—Najwa Zebian

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  • Time Management: Effective time management is crucial for reducing stress.  Consider using techniques like time blocking, where where you allocate specific time slots for different tasks. Prioritizing tasks is also essential, focusing on the most important ones first. Additionally, don't hesitate to delegate tasks whenever possible. This not only reduces your workload but also empowers others and fosters a sense of teamwork.
     

  • Healthy Eating: Emotional eating occurs when we use food to manage our emotions rather than physical hunger. Often, we turn to sugary or starchy foods for temporary relief from stress. To combat this, practice mindful eating, paying attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues. A balanced diet rich in protein, healthy fats, and colorful fruits and vegetables can support your overall well-being. Stress triggers an increase in harmful free radicals, which can damage cells and DNA. To counteract this, consume a variety of colorful produce, as they are packed with antioxidants that neutralize these damaging molecules. Learn more: [Click Mindful Eating and Food-Mood Connection]

Minimalist Sunlit Interior

  • Environment: Environment plays a crucial role in health and happiness.  Organize your spaces to be clutter-free, peaceful environments.  The empowering act of sorting, donating, or otherwise letting go of things that take up space can feel liberating physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Learn more: [Click De-Cluttering].

Additional Considerations:

  • Personalization: It's important to find the techniques that work best for you. Experiment with different approaches and tailor them to your individual needs and preferences.
     

  • Consistency: Consistent practice is key to reaping the benefits of stress management techniques.
     

  • Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself and avoid self-judgment.

“... Be patient with yourself. It took you years to form the bad habits of thought that you no longer want. It will take a little time to form new and better ones. But I promise you this: Even a slight move in this direction will bring you some peace. The more effort you apply to it, the faster you’ll find your bliss, but you’ll experience rewards immediately.”  ―Holly Mosier

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Disclaimer:

This information is for general knowledge and informational purposes only. 

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