Reduce Your Life Stress – Learn from My Experience
By Michael J Griffin
5-minute read
We all have been stressed at one time or another. It can be triggered by work, health, finance, relationships, self-doubt, or challenging circumstances in your life. I have experienced stress for all these causes and have found some “remedies” that can help you prevent or reduce your stress to live a more enjoyable, meaningful life. A few insightful caveats about stress before we look at stress reducers I have discovered.
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
Charles R. Swindoll.
Some stress is good for you. It can motivate you to achieve, to change.
Michael J Griffin
Stress is not what happens to us. It’s our response to what happens. And response is something we can choose.
Maureen Killoran
Our response and reaction to stress is our choice. The choices we make to be calm and relaxed or stressed out are in our control. Let’s look at four actions from Zenger Miller that I have adapted for dealing with my stress and then tangible actions you can take to prevent or reduce stress.
Acknowledge your own reaction the stressful circumstances. This involves self-analysis of the what, why, and how the stress came about.
Assess the impact of the stressful situation. What is the worst that can happen? How is the stress affecting you?
Take positive action(s) of self-care.
Seek advice from trusted people when appropriate.
Sometimes doing the self-analysis and assessing the impact of your stress is enough to reduce it. Taking positive action should revolve around regular habits you develop to eliminate or reduce your stress. Here are some of the habits that I have found are most rewarding. These are simple explanations of each practice to motivate you to do your own google research to get started with the stress prevention and reducing activities that appeal to you.
Morning Meditation, Prayer, or Mindfulness. Any three of these early morning activities are great for starting your day out in a positive frame of mind. Choose the activity that enriches your mental, emotional, or spiritual being.
Regular Outdoor Exercise. Brisk walking, running, cycling, tai chi, or other outdoor sports all contribute to healthy relaxed mind and body. But, if the gym is your environment, go for it.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast. A good balanced breakfast can keeps you fueled up, away from junk food to manage stress during the day.
Put Boundaries Around Toxic Relationships. Evaluate the relationships that drain you. If needed put boundaries between you and those who are toxic to your emotional and mental health.
Hide the Handphone Before You Sleep. Put your handphone in airplane mode, or better yet, sleep without your handphone in your bedroom. Get a good night’s sleep. Don’t forget to get off the handphone or laptop by 7:00 pm or latest 8:00 pm at night!
Practice Gratitude and Generosity. Keep a daily gratitude list and review it weekly or monthly. Be thankful for the good stuff in your life. Generosity be with money to causes you believe in. I have made it a daily habit to generously affirm at least three people every day. Be gracious to others.
Develop and Enjoy a Hobby. Do something regularly that you enjoy. Could be working with your hands, painting, or simply researching topics you enjoy.
Learn to Play. I have always enjoyed playing with my siblings when young, my kids when they were young, and now my granddaughter Lara. Focusing on playing with your kids is a fun, excellent way to really to de-stress. Make time to play with kids!
Take All of Your Holiday/Vacation Time. Your company won’t collapse if you go on holiday! Go to new places or that regular retreat you go back to so you can unwind, reflect and recharge.
Treat Yourself to a Massage. Physical touch by massage or reflexology is a great way to just relax and unwind.
Volunteer for a Cause You Believe in. Find a volunteer, non-profit organization you might want to devote your time and energy. Let me remind you that many companies give time off to employees who volunteer.
Find a Healthy Coaching Relationship. Meeting regularly with a mature, wise coach or mentor can help you process stress and problems and give you direction in your life. If you are unable to find a good coach, get into a peer coaching relationship with someone who has good chemistry with you and shares similar values. Meet monthly.
Discover Your Life Calling. This takes a bit longer as you may need to some self-reflection, possible personal assessments or profiles, and a coach to discover what truly gives you meaning in your life. Having a job or volunteer work that gives you meaning gives focus on a positive life and I have learned a greater strength to say “No” to stuff and requests that don’t bring fulfillment.
Plenty of ideas here! Remember it starts in your mind! Make choices to prevent or reduce stress followed by action! Try some of the activities that have helped me live with hope, love, and resilience when I have journeyed through trials, problems, and tribulations!
Michael J Griffin
CEO and Founder of ELAvate
6E Coach and Mentor