How To Lessen Stress: The Essential Steps

How many times have you gotten angry at yourself for misplacing your keys, being late to meet a friend, or forgetting to pay a bill on time? Being angry at ourselves can be one of the most stressful experiences there is. We are our own worst critic. Trying to change this behavior for the better, even a little bit, can help you feel happier and less stressed. Try some of the following tips to get started.

More Information

 

 

If you're in a stressful situation, before you doing anything rash, stop and count to ten. This will give you a moment to relax and cool down. It'll prevent you from doing something you might regret and instead letting your mind calm down enough to make rational choices.

 

Stress can be a vicious cycle so find small ways of breaking it up to avoid it breaking you down! Most of us have stress in our lives from one source or another and scheduling some fun or relaxation around it will stop it from taking over. If there is no way to completely avoid stress we can at least make it intermittent!

 

Admit your stress. Each of us have our own stress signal, whether is it teeth gritting, neck pain, shoulder pain, shallow breathing, or loss of temper. Take time to figure out what yours is and then say out loud, "I am feeling stressed" once you start to feel that way. Saying it and realizing you are starting to feel stressed will help slow down the negative emotions.

 

Ahhh.... Who doesn't love a hot bath? Soaking in a bath is a great stress reliever. But, we don't always have time for a hot bath. If you don't have time for a bath, wash your face or even your hands with some hot water and imagine you are soaking your stresses away.

 

One great way to relieve stress is to do exercise. Exercising not only keeps you in shape and physically healthy, but mentally healthy as well. By taking your mind off your problems while you exercise, you just might be able to solve them subconsciously, because you've taken time to refresh your mind and body.

 

One of the most effective methods for reducing stress is going for a long walk. Not only does this remove you from the stressful environment it also allows you to clear your mind by being distracted. If you go alone be sure to take some nice music with you to help you feel even better.

 

One great way to deal with stress is to take up reading as a hobby. This is important because sometimes, reading a book can immerse you more than watching a movie or anything else could. If the book is engaging enough, you may shortly find yourself in your own world, free from all that ails you.

 

As you can see, being kind to yourself really isn't that hard, and it sure feels better than being stressed and angry. Don't underestimate the ill effects of stress on your health. Factor the above tips into your daily habits, and you will be making a very positive investment in your health and your life.