Life has a way of throwing things at you when you least expect it. Guestwriter Sarah-Jean Ballard shares her tips to help you avoid feeling like you are drowning under all the stress of it all.
Von Edvin BrobeckTIP ONE
Struggling can help to build character, and often it’s the moments in your life you are most proud of, like the ones where you overcame adversity to accomplish something worthwhile.
Even if the challenge you are facing is not something you have chosen, push your limits and beyond because nothing will make you feel more unstoppable than revealing to yourself that you are capable of far more than you ever imagined. If you’re a mom, think back about giving birth! Have you ever felt more empowered in your life?! Sometimes the struggle is worth it.
TIP TWO
It’s just like at work where teamwork is essential! Find friends or family to work together to take on whatever challenges you face. If people come together, different views can help to solve problems; it’s always good to have people to talk to and great to have other people to share the load.
When you’re taking on big decisions, for example, if you’re deciding whether to choose palliative care services for your elderly parents, it is far better to make these decisions with others, to get as much information and opinions as you can, especially when you can’t always think straight during bad times.
TIP THREE
Unfortunately, our brains have a natural inclination to focus on threats and dangers, so to destroy this evolutionary construct, throughout your day focus on what is positive and right about the world around you. Find reasons to appreciate everything around you – even in the toughest of times. Focusing on positive things will leave you feeling peaceful instead of stressed out. Think about times and places that make you feel happy. Visual reminders of things that make you feel happy can have a big positive impact on your mood! Create your own custom print with Mapiful for example!
TIP FOUR
When you find yourself stuck or facing a challenge, write down your thoughts in a journal. This is very useful for getting your thoughts out of your head and to really understand them.
While it’s good to talk, it’s good to write too; it can help you to see how you’re feeling and means you can look at it as an outsider so you can deal with your issues better. However, sometimes just writing it down is all you need to do to relieve stress, feel better and think clearer.
TIP FIVE
It might be the last thing you want to do, but in times of challenge, exercising can be one of the best things you can do. It has been proven to improve habits in many areas of your life and also improve your overall self-confidence.
This will give you the energy to overcome stress and the life challenges you might be facing. If you’re really pressed for time but need that extra push, hire an online PT to help keep you motivated and on track.
TIP SIX
According to Psychologist Marc Berman, interacting with nature improves the quality of your life and your brain function as well. It’s important to get outside and spend some time at one with nature every day if you can to help relieve stress.
TIP SEVEN
When you find yourself stuck and facing a challenge and you feel stressed out, ask yourself what someone else would do. Think of someone you admire and do what they would do when they go through a stressful struggle. Even better, if they’ve been in the same situation as you, what did they do?
Hopefully, these tips will help you learn to lower your stress and keep your mind healthy!
The Fashionable Housewife
Sarah-Jean is the Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of The Fashionable Housewife blog and the founder of Fashionable Media network. A wife and stay-at-home mother of FIVE children, she is a diehard fashionista who uses her blog to share advice and review products.