It finally happened. You had your a-ha moment and you realize that you MUST reduce your stress levels, for your own well-being but equally for everyone else in your life. Congratulations and well done! This is often the hardest step of all.
But assuming you know you need to reduce the stress in your life, NOW WHAT? Where do you start, what do you do?
There are so many things to try, big and small, to create your successful formula for stress reduction.
Well, there is no one size fits all, some things that may work great for your best friend could actually not work for you. Everyone is different. And this applies to everything self-care related: food, workouts, relationships, using hot or cold therapies, EVERYTHING!
So how do you find what works for you??
First, think about what you want to achieve and then assess what is causing the stress in your life and whether you can eliminate it or come up with some ways to reduce the amount of stress they bring you.
Then it’s time to plan and experiment with different approaches. There are SO many things to try, the list is endless! Some that are commonly thought of when we think of wellness like eating healthy foods, exercise, meditation, drinking water, etc. And some that may be less obvious or new to you: snuggling up with your pet, spending time outside in nature, tapping, dry brushing, to name just a few.
Here are 10 tips that you can try to manage your stress:
- Accept that there are things that are beyond your control.
- Meditate or take 20 minutes a day to sit down quietly and reflect.
- Eat healthy, well-balanced meals. Be sure to fuel your body as necessary throughout the day. There is nothing worse than being “han-gry” (hungry and angry).
- Make sure you are getting enough rest. Sleep is so important and lack of, can really stress your body and mind. It also lowers your energy levels and focus.
- Try some yoga. The combination of breathing techniques and physical postures really helps reduce stress.
- Spark some aromatherapy. Using essential oils like lavender have shown to reduce stress levels.
- Listen to soothing music. Research has shown that music can trigger biochemical stress reducers.
- Laugh! Laughing is so good for the soul and it can reduce stress levels in the body.
- Get a massage or a facial. Massage does much more than just alleviate physical pain, it has also proven to reduce stress and facials as well – you leave with glowing skin and a smile!
- Deep breathing. Regulate your breath by breathing in through your nose and hold the air in for a few seconds and letting out through the nose slowly. Repeat it for a few minutes until you feel more relaxed. This works!
As you try these tune in and begin to notice. Did the thing you tried fuel you? Did it deplete you? It’s in the noticing and refining that we find our successful formula.
Journaling is a fantastic resource during this process. If you keep track of the things that you try: what you ate, water consumption, hours of sleep, the ways you are moving your body, the people you spend time with, saying positive mantras, and on and on and on… And notice: How did these things make you feel?
We hope these tips help you in your journey to well-being!
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