Stress can impact your life in some seriously negative ways. Not only does it make you feel physically anxious, but it can prevent you from doing things you love. For example, if the idea of being in public is too stressful, you might avoid crowds, which means skipping concerts, movies, and gatherings in the park.
If stress is taking a negative toll on your life, you don’t have to live with it forever, here are some simple ways to either reduce stress or eliminate it completely.
1. Try stress management therapy
If you’re struggling to manage your daily responsibilities or focus for long periods of time, stress management therapy can help you address these issues. According to TherapyTribe, “chronic stress can cause significant mental strain and long-term health problems.” Using therapy to reduce stress can support your total wellbeing since uncontrolled stress can have negative physical consequences on the body.
If you’ve experienced any of the following common life situations, you’ll benefit from stress counseling:
- The death of a loved one
- A job loss
- An increase in bills
- Moving
- A serious injury
- A medical diagnosis
- A traumatic event, like a natural disaster or violence
- Phobias and fears
- Fear of the future
- Negative perceptions about life
All of these situations have the potential to create massive amounts of stress in your life. If you’re dealing with something disruptive, therapy can help you develop healthy ways to cope with the situation.
2. Meditate daily
Meditation is popular, but it’s not a fad – it’s a legitimate way to relieve stress, anxiety, and keep your mind free from unwanted thoughts.
There are countless forms of meditation and it doesn’t matter which one you choose. You can sit in silence, use a guided meditation, or go to a group meditation at a local community center. Either way, you’ll be relieving your brain from processing the very thoughts that are keeping you stressed.
While many people say the point of meditation is to clear your mind, that’s not entirely true. When you meditate, you will experience unwanted thoughts, but don’t try to ignore them or resist them. Resistance defeats the purpose of meditation. Instead, notice your thoughts and allow them to exist. Instead of identifying with them, observe them as if you are a third party. When you can do this reliably, you’ll get some of the best stress-relieving benefits meditation has to offer.
3. Go for a walk in nature
Science says that spending just 20 minutes in nature has the power to reduce cortisol levels in the body. That’s great news for everyone who suffers from stress because it means relief is easy to get.
If there’s a park nearby, walk around on the grass barefoot, or just walk the trails. Find a nice spot for hiking, and if you aren’t into walking up steep hills, just stay around the bottom and read a book surrounded by nature.
If you can’t go far, then just start taking walks around the block where you live. The point is to get out into the fresh air and be in nature as opposed to your house. Any effort is better than no effort.
Don’t wait until you feel stressed to go out into nature. If possible, make it a regular habit to go for walks at least three times a week. Regular outings will help prevent stress from accumulating in the first place.
4. Stop doing stressful activities
Take stock of all the things you do throughout the day that make you feel anxious or stressed out. Are any of them possible to eliminate? You might not have complete control over all your activities, especially if they’re required as part of your job. However, you can control your activities in your personal life.
Start simple because small stressors add up fast. Does yard work stress you out? Hire someone to do it for you. If you’re on a budget, hire a local high school kid for the job – you don’t need to pay high fees for a professional landscaper. Do you feel a sense of dread each time you think about spring cleaning? Try skipping it just once to see how you feel. Do you hate setting up garage sales in the summer? Donate your unused items instead. Sure, you can get money for them at a garage sale, but it’s not worth the stress.
Eliminate your triggers and stress will dissolve
You can only become stressed out when you have triggers. Wherever possible, try to eliminate your triggers in addition to learning coping mechanisms. This is a good long-term approach to managing stress effectively.
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