Heal Your Body, Calm Your Mind, Soothe Your Spirit
Over time, having too many stress hormones in your system is linked with increased inflammation - this is not a good thing!
What can you do about it?
Most of us have never learned how to cope with stress. Many of us just try to ignore it, but that's one of the worst ways to deal with it. Ignoring your feelings of stress can keep your stress hormones elevated, and soon, feeling stressed can become your body's new normal.
The good news is you can take back control by learning some techniques that will bring healing to your body, calm your mind, and soothe your spirit.
In my last post, I gave you some breathing techniques that are powerful tools to combat stress. Click Here to read.
Today's article will discuss some additional tools to put in your tool box to combat stress.
Heal Your Body
A healthy body is a resilient body, which means you are able to minimize the negative effects of stress.
Getting regular exercise will boost your "feel-good" hormones and your immune system.
Eating a healthy diet will help you maintain stable blood sugar levels, which is crucial since stress hormones can wreak havoc on your blood sugar.
Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night will help your body recover and restore for the coming day.
Here are some additional ideas:
- Go for a Walk - Studies show that being in nature has a calming effect on your mind. Whenever possible, get outside and enjoy some quiet time during the day. Quick Tip: Set a timer on your phone at regular intervals to get up and move around to work off excess energy during the day.
- Stay Clear - Avoid "numbing out" stress with alcohol, drugs, food, or compulsive behaviors. They only cause more stress in the long run!
- Move - In addition to regular exercise, try relaxing movement like tai chi, walking meditation, and yoga to help combat stress.
- Unplug - Make time every day to be away from technology. Turn off your phone, power down your laptop, and go into another room (or outdoors) to enjoy the downtime.
Calm Your Mind
Over time, stress can become a habit that starts to feel "normal." How do you know if stress has become a way of life?
Listen to your inner dialogue and be aware of what it's telling you. Is it repeating stressful thoughts or phrases throughout the day?
Do a quick body scan: is your jaw clinched? Are your shoulders tight? Are you holding your breath?
Do you feel full of dread, sadness, or anger, and wonder why no one else is getting with (your) program?
If these sound familiar, it's time to start making some mindset shifts.
- Find Your Why - Having a larger purpose in your life can help put stress in perspective. You might find you have more than one "why" - it could be your family, your health, or some life goal.
- Positive Self-talk - You remember those stressful thoughts from your inner dialogue? Turn them into positive ones. For example: instead of thinking, "Today is the worst...I'm never going to get everything done," tell yourself, "I can handle this if I take one step at a time."
- Organize Your Time - Learn to manage your time more effectively. Try not to overcommit. Break down big problems into smaller parts. Take one step at at time, instead of trying to tackle everything at once.
Soothe Your Spirit
Taking care of your spirit means taking care of the things that are in your own best interest.
It involves setting clear boundaries - both for yourself and others - and making time for the people you love. Playing with your pet, hugging a loved one, or the simple act of helping someone will all help to reduce your stress levels?
Keep a positive attitude - but also accept that there are things beyond your control.
Surround yourself with things that lift you up, and say no to things that will increase your stress.
- Create a Practice - Set a regular "positivity" practice: read uplifting books, pray, meditate, or watch inspirational videos on a daily basis.
- Have Fun - Make time for hobbies, interests, and relaxation. You'll come away feeling recharged and ready to tackle nagging problems.
- Friends & Family - Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you enjoy.
- Tune Out - Stream some relaxing music or an inspirational podcast to give you a mental "time out" when dealing with stressful events.
If you want to know more about how to manage your stress - how to feel better and create the results you want - contact me at sheila.gravely@thelifest.com. I specialize in helping people who want to manage their stress by teaching a proven technique to help you manage your brain.
Photo Credits:
Photo by Sage Friedman on Unsplash
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