What is my secret to alleviating stress?
If we’re facing in the right direction – all we have to do is walk. This expression, more than any other has helped me navigate my way out of feeling badly. It is meaningful to me because it reminds me that life is suppose to be, for the most part, joyful.
Certainly, there will be stressful periods, but life should not always be drama-filled, stressful and exhausting.
When I’m stressed, overwhelmed, annoyed, confused, frustrated, anxious, doubtful – ok you get the picture, it’s usually because I’m avoiding doing something unpleasant. Stuff like making difficult decisions, opening mail from the IRS or having to negotiate money.
It’s important to know the source of these negative feelings because only then can I intelligently address them. In other words, once I honestly know what’s bothering me I can make a decision about how to proceed.
I want to share with you, how I approach alleviating stress, so that you can gain some helpful insight into dealing with it on your own too.
My Simple Approach to Alleviating Stress
Sometimes I decide not to decide. This always makes me feel better – at least for the short-term. Because I know the source of my discomfort, I feel better by giving myself some breathing space.
If you find yourself in this situation, here are a few things you can do to start alleviating stress:
- Sit still. Honestly talk to yourself about the source of your anxiety.
- Engage in honest self-reflection. Don’t worry about how others see you. That’s not as important as how you see yourself. Remember, the longest journey is the journey to knowing yourself. Be brave.
- Ask yourself, “Am I in avoidance mode?” You can lie to others but you can’t lie to yourself.
- Learn from your past mistakes and successes. There are valuable lessons in both.
- Resist complaining or dwelling. They are counter productive and waste your imagination. You’ll end up feeling worse and wasting your valuable energy. Think about solutions and take action.
- Express gratitude for what is working well in your life. No matter how badly things may be right now, be grateful for your life. Somewhere, someone is desperately fighting for his or hers.
- Do something. Take on the day and make it count.
Calmly assess each situation. You don't have to decide right at this moment.
If you want more guidance on alleviating stress, and you really love yourself, jump on over to this link and grab my Pocket Quote Book...
Live, laugh, love and dance!
–LJ
