Stress(less) Tips

Remember this pain, for someday it may be useful to you. - Ovid

Here are some stress tips. I'm sharing them not because I'm some great all-knowing guide, or a Pollyanna - I'm sharing them because I've been there - and learned the hard way, more than once.

Stress(less) List

1. Remember who you love.

2. Remember who loves you.

3. Be grateful (see 1 and 2).

4. If you are religious, pray.

5. If you’re not religious, pray anyway. You never know and it helps to spend a few minutes being quiet.

6. Take care of your body.
a. Eat at least three healthy things each day – fruit, vegis, yogurt, etc.
b. Get sleep.
c. Drink water.
d. If you can’t exercise, at least get up from your desk and walk around once in a while.

7. Be careful about alcohol consumption. It is tempting to have a couple of beers or glasses of wine each day to “wind down.” But, alcohol is a depressant and will only add to your stress.

8. Breathe, purposefully.
a. Your heart rate follows your breath.
b. Your mind follows your breath and your heart rate.
c. Relaxing Breathing – breathe deep – imagine the breath going all the way to your stomach - and count to five as you breath in. Hold your breath for two counts. Let out your breath counting to five. Do this 10 times. You’ll be amazed.

9. If the stress doesn’t go away; if you are feeling low energy, sadness, hopelessness, agitation or anxiety for more than a month; if you can’t sleep, or want to sleep all the time; or gain or lose a bunch of weight - consider seeing a doctor. Excessive and/or prolonged stress can turn into depression – which is a medical condition, which often requires a medical treatment. See http://www.nami.org/ for more information.

10. You may have to fix something in your life before it gets better. Which means, you might have to face something painful and it may even take a long time. Don't be afraid of it - sometimes only the hard way is the way to peace.

11. Remember who you are and everyone goes through tough times. You’ve probably done it before and you can do it now. Your life doesn’t have to be defined by whatever you are dealing with. It will get better.