7 Tips to Overcome Your Stress
During rough times, coping with life can seem a lot harder. Stress can enhance feelings of being helpless, while slowing down your performance and productivity.
Maybe you’ve lost your job, behind on your monthly payments, experienced a large recent medical expense, or 101 problems happened to hit you all at once…
During hard times you need peak performance and work stamina to bring in the household flow of milk and honey! There are several things you can do to combat your worries that will help you get back on your feet again.
7 Tips to Overcome Your Stress
1. Identify the problem. Brainstorm a solution.
Target the problem that is causing you to feel worried, and then brainstorm as many possible solutions (be open minded).
-Problem: Your car broke down so you can’t get to work.
-Solution #1: Start your day an hour early and ride your bike. Perks: 1) It’s a long way, but the fresh air will blow away some stress. 2) Exercise (and you complained you never had time)! Those endorphins will make you feel great. 3) Your being green!
-Solution #2: Learn the buss system, save gas, and make better use of travel time by reading a self-enhancement book like Generation Debt by Carmen Ulrich (a great book about basic money management).
-Solution #3: Learn where your fellow co-workers live. Maybe your home crosses route. I’m sure they’d be more than willing to help you out and give you a lift for a few gas bucks.
2. Breathe
Breathing really does make a big difference. Studies indicate that proper breathing reduces stress and stress related medical conditions—like anxiety, asthma, chronic pain, and high blood pressure. Breathing soothes the autonomic nervous system. So if you feel stressed, take in several deep breaths and exhale slowly.
4. Step back
Turn away from the problem momentarily to think about things that make you happy – maybe an upcoming vacation trip, or plan a beach day with your family.
5. Laugh
The best stress remedy ever! In fact, laughter has been clinically proven to reduce stress levels. Laughter relaxes tense muscles, lowers your blood pressure, and sends oxygen to the organs in your system. Get your mind off of stressful things by watching a comedy, or calling up that old friend that makes you cackle so hard your neck snaps.
*Read up on the story of Norman Cousins – a man who did a medical experiment and successfully overcame cancer by laughing.
6. Change your outlook
Your perception of a situation or problem can have a tremendous impact on your ability to handle stress. Look at it several ways: 1) Your problem will eventually pass, 2) Maybe its not such a big deal? 3) Some people have it a lot worse! 4) There’s nothing I can do about it so why fret?
Example: Your stressed out because your stuck in traffic and running late for work. Shucks, there’s nothing you can do about it. So change your outlook. Tell yourself out loud: “Shucks, there’s nothing I can do about it”. In the interim, turn up your radio and sing like an imbecile.
7. Give!
There’s nothing in the world that will make you feel better (and blow some steam), than giving! Give someone flowers just for the heck of it, give a little of your time to help someone with a project, give your kids lots and lots of kisses, give lots and lots of smiles, give a few bucks on Microgiving!
At the end of the day, remember that stressing about your worries comes to no avail. Try these tips and please share a few of your own…
2. March 2009 at 9:24 pm :
Talk about it! Don’t keep your stress couped up.
An effective way to cope with stress is to find consolation and support from a friend or family member. Often they can propose solutions to your problems that you never thought about. However, the mere act of “letting it all out” can uplift a tremendous weight.
3. March 2009 at 12:41 am :
Great point April. I speak from expierence on this one. Holding on to the stress can make it a hundred times worse, it makes you both physically and mentaling sick. It causes frustration and mood swings, as well as other symptoms too.
3. March 2009 at 6:50 am :
I agree you can’t let things get bottled up but once you have talked about it you have to let go and not dwell on them. I have been in situations where I have laughed to get rid of the stress and I was working at the time, my co-workers thought I had gone mad. LOL they were a little concerned. But I have to say it worked.
3. March 2009 at 7:22 am :
Stress can be a silent killer. I have experience it since my accident and coming and realised my family have to do every thing for me; That very stressful for me unfortunately.
But reading a lot and sharing my experience with my family and friends i am slowly accepting that this is not a dream; its reality.
But i have faith, and that will make me be a strong person.
3. March 2009 at 3:40 pm :
Gayle wrote:
“I have been in situations where I have laughed to get rid of the stress and I was working at the time, my co-workers thought I had gone mad. LOL”
My father always says: “If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry!” Laughing is a highly effective way to overcome stress.
Some situations are so miserable, that you can’t help but laugh! One time I spent an hour in the kitchen cooking up a feast, only to drop the entire thing on the floor after when I was ready to eat it! I was so distressed, that I couldn’t help but laugh!
4. March 2009 at 7:22 am :
Excellent tips. I really encourage the giving part. If you can’t give a dime please give some time. It will help someone else, but will also help you feel much better about yourself and feeling better about yourself is always a positive thing.
4. March 2009 at 1:25 pm :
I agree with you Becky, even if you can’t help with money you should help if you can in other ways. I think too many people think that money solves everything but it doesn’t. I think I would rather someone help me fix things around my house rather than just getting money. If I shovel a neighbors sidewalk I am just happy that I have helped that person. Same thing with mowing the lawn. I have had my father-in-law mow my lawn before without me asking him. I called him all happy, thanking him and he said I sounded like he did something grand for me. To me it was, I am the one that usually does those things and it was nice for someone to do it for me for once. Meant more to me than anything he could have bought me.
4. March 2009 at 3:46 pm :
I couldn’t agree with you more Becky. Although there are many times, I can’t give much as far as a monetary donations go, I try to do my best to listen to other’s and help with any suggestions or advice that may help.
There have been times, when I all I had to give was a dollar, but that dollar was the spark that got the fire going, and soon that dollar grew, and before you know it, the person’s request had been satisfied! It is then, that you feel that you helped in a great way.
4. March 2009 at 11:34 pm :
I really try to teach my children that a sense of humor is needed every day. Try not to allow stress to override your day…..If someone smarts off to you just smile…kill them with kindness. Life is to short to……..
5. March 2009 at 3:00 pm :
Thanks HS Mom for your feedback! You couldn’t be more right, kindness is the most effective way to override a rude remark from someone. Not only does kindness take them by surprise, but it reduces the stress in that situation and makes you feel better.
Teaching your children this kind of positive attitude is fantastic!
7. March 2009 at 2:58 am :
Great tip HS mom and so very true! I raised (and am still raising) developmentally disabled sons. That was one of the first things I taught them was to laugh at themselves, and laugh with those who laugh at them. Say thank you for your opinion and walk away when someone gives you a rude comment. I am thankful that today I have a boy nearly 23 years old and one going on 19 who still laugh at themselves. They laugh at me and it’s fine…we laugh together and I am stronger for it. We learned that humor is indeed one of the best stress relievers.
7. March 2009 at 4:55 am :
Proper sleep, proper nutrition, and proper exercise. As a former Certified Personal Trainer, I know these 3 important factors.
Proper Sleep is number 1 allowing your mind and body to re cooperate. It is the most essential and though it comes natural, it is not always easy for everyone.
Proper Nutrition is essential to keep your chemical balance intact. It works with the sleep you get and exercise you get to keep your body natural. If you feed your body junk, it will perform like junk. Not sure where I heard it, but “You are what you eat.”
Avoid fast foods and soft drinks or you will develop deficiencies, lose your immunities, and develop fat storage. Not only will you become obese or morbidly obese which adds more stress to your life, but you will internally become malnourished making you unable to deal with the stress you already have.
In addition to fast foods and soft drinks, avoid artificial sweeteners made with chemicals: Aspartame/Phenalanine (the corrupt FDA approved sweetener for diet sodas and gum) causes brain tumors, but at least you wont get fat! Saccharin (discovered by accident like most artificial sweeteners. Spill it on your hand in the lab, then go eat and see if it tastes sweeter!) Try Splenda (if you like drinking pool water considering the chemical surrounding the sugar molecule is chlorine.) It’s easy to know what sweetener is ok for you. If ants and bees like it, you know it’s safe. Just establish self-control! If you want a healthier sweetener, not chemically based, try stevia or other plant based sweeteners.
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store to get your essentials: Dairy, Meat, Fruits, Veggies, Grains.
Keep your plate proportioned: match veggies to anything else you eat. 1/4 meat (1/4 veggies), 1/4 grains (1/4 veggies)= 1/4 meat, 1/4 grains, 1/2 veggies.
Drink water every 30 minutes you are awake whether you feel thirsty or not. It works wonders in your body.
Then there’s exercise. Do what you can, when you can, and just stay as active as you can. As long as you can do that, you will be ok. If you want more, you must work harder.
Hope this helps relieve some stress in your lives~
7. March 2009 at 2:58 pm :
JT, you’re absolutely right about drinking lots of water throughout the day. It does do wonders. It also as a way of keeping you alert.
And YES! YES! YES! to “match veggies to anything else you eat”!
Excellent advice!
8. March 2009 at 12:23 pm :
One thing you can do,..is to count your blessings…I always felt so alone…but when I came here, I could see I was not in nearly half as bad of need, as many of these kind, humble people
somehow it helps, to find others in similar situations…and helping them, relieves me of stress…guess it gets my mind off of things..
I don’t think i have been as helpful as I could have, because my problems were so emotional and awful..
But,..I am beginning to see the light at the end of that tunnel…
and it is shining BRIGHTLY
8. March 2009 at 12:23 pm :
Just having a place to vent,and get ideas, is a stressbuster
9. March 2009 at 4:16 am :
JT,
Thank you for the information you posted, in was very encouraging.
10. March 2009 at 1:05 am :
I use gardening to releave my stress. I heard fishing is relaxing. Placing your mind in any hobby helps, so you can relax.
10. March 2009 at 1:29 pm :
Gardening is great! Plus you’re giving back to the environment! Thanks Christy…
18. March 2009 at 2:09 am :
I agree with the gardening to help with stress. Plus those home grown veggies can be frozen and canned … and relieve some of that stress later as far as groceries go when you are on a tight budget. Its a way to save money through the winter if you have planned ahead in the summer for it.
Now chopping wood in the summer to relieve stress… to save on your heating bill in the winter …might be a different story LOL
But when all else fails …. laughing is the best medicine of all!
11. April 2009 at 12:37 am :
The way I have tried to relieve stress is give something away or just make a person smile that usually is off to themselves. It amazes me every time that the more you give the less stress you have!
22. April 2009 at 9:36 pm :
I really got to thinking about this question today because I certainly have been stressed here lately… and I have found just getting out of the house helps… as change your surrounding for a little while.I know we are all here for many reaons and one is because we have hit a slump in our lives… so going out isnt really in the budget.But there are things to do that doesnt cost anything. Hard to believe in this day and time …but its out there! With spring here music festivals in parks and churches will soon be starting up and most are free.Or even try to win tickets off the radio. Just getting out and being around others help the soul… and they need volunteers at local food banks to help pass out food.I know when I seee others in need I try so hard to be compasionate and talk to them…and then I feel so much better myself..
12. July 2009 at 8:33 pm :
Yikes..none has posted since the last time I did.. I reckon its cuz its summer time!!Aint it great though?? We were all here all later winter.. stuck inside..but now just getting outside can really help that stress… that is unless you live in GA!! It is SO HOT and humid here. .. ya just wanna run back inside.
But I came to say Stress can cause so many health problems too…I just found this out almost 2 weeks ago… and my friends… its just NOT worth it…. I was diagnosed with an autioimmune deasease(and some other things) and my Dr KNOWS its ALL stress related…I wish i could go back 1 year and know what I know now…. butthe one thing I have learned from it…. is never worry about tomorrow… (yes I know easier said than done) but do “prepare”for tomorrow… see there is a big difference between the two…and I sure learned that just a tad too late…but I will survive
Its all about attitude…. ya know?