Reducing Stress

It's no secret that stress is making us all sick. Stress also affects many medical conditions including heart disease, depressions, headaches, diabetes, a variety of gastrointestinal (tummy) issues, and many others.

Stress has a way of beating you down and just making you feel terrible overall. It's like adding the weight of the world to any existing problems you may be dealing with (mentally, physically, emotionally, or just day to day issues). Stress can actually increase the rate at which our cells grow old. That, in turn, can make you more prone to some age-related diseases like heart disease.

Stress is the ultimate (terrible) gift that keeps on giving. So what can you do to reduce the stress in your life before it kills you? Read on for some stress reducing tips and tricks.

Acceptance

This is probably the simplest idea to reduce major amounts of stress in your life but also a tough one to actually do. Learning to accept the circumstances just the way they are is a major factor in stress reduction. It's easier said than done, but if you can truly make peace with your situation you'll be ahead of the game.

Stop complaining. Stop wishing for a better scenario. Focus on your breathing and allow yourself to relax. Negative thoughts will try to rule your brain but you don't have to indulge them. Allow the negative thoughts to come and go but don't believe them. Accept the situation for what it is and allow your body and mind to calm down and relax.

Will It Matter?

Look down the road, will this even matter then? This is my personal favorite technique for reducing stress and it seems to work in most situations because most stressful events aren't really big events. When something happens and you find yourself freaking out a bit, stop and ask yourself if this will even matter tomorrow. If you got cut off in traffic it won't matter tomorrow so you just need to accept the situation (see above) and move on.

Okay, but many things will matter tomorrow! So now what? I then ask myself it the issue will matter in a year or in five years. It's pretty rare that whatever is stressing me out will matter next year, much less in five years. It puts the vast majority of stressors into perspective and allows your minds to see the bigger picture.

Go Oldschool

Technology is a wonderful thing, but it's also a major stressor for so many of us. We seem to always be checking email or have our face buried in our iThings. Give yourself a break. You don't need to know all of the terrible things happening around the world in real time. You don't need to see whatever ridiculous, time-wasting meme your "friend" from third grade who you haven't seen in 23 years posted right now.

Research has shown that getting away from the constant stream of information can actually reduce stress levels. Don't feel the need to carry your smartphone with you in your house. Ignore that txt message beep for a while. Or, if you're one of those who feels the need to check email several times an hour then try reducing that to once every three hours or more. In a few days you'll notice a change and the world will still be turning just like it always was.

Exercise / Walk

We've all heard how exercise is a great way to reduce stress levels. It's very true but exercising in the middle of the day when you're ready to blow your top isn't always an option. In those cases, go take a walk.

If you can't go outside walk around your house or office building. If you can go outside, do it! Take a short 10-15 minute walk to clear your head. Focus on nature and your breathing. Do a little skygazing. Time away from the situation that's bothering you will put a little perspective on things, help you clear your mind, and can increase overall mental well-being.

Superman Up

It sounds silly but there has been actual research done on striking a superhero pose. Find a place to be alone for a bit and then do your best Superman, Wonder Woman, or whoever you like. Stand up tall and straight, stick that chest out, hands on hips, and maybe even look up and to the side for the full impact. Hold that for two minutes.

It can help your cortisol levels (a stress hormone) fall. It's also been reported to help people feel more confident so try doing it before that next big pitch or job interview or anytime anxiety is hitting you.

Be Thankful

Ever find yourself getting stressed out because the line to the bank teller is taking too long? Or maybe The Bell got your taco order wrong (do they ever get it right?). Or maybe you got stuck in front of the screaming kids on your six hour flight to Hawaii. It's that feeling like everyone else in the world is insane and you're surrounded by complete assery.

We've all been there, it's annoying and we feel wronged and that stresses is out. But you're looking at things the wrong way. Sure, you don't want your seat to be getting kicked for six hours on that Hawaiian getaway trip. I get it. But you need to be thankful for the fact that you're on a plane heading to Hawaii. You're lucky enough to be able to afford a vacation anywhere. You're luckier still that you're going to an island getaway that only 0.00123% of the world's population will get to see each year (I'm not making that number up).

I'm not suggesting you endure six hours of kicking in the back, but there are ways to handle that situation without it stressing you out so much. But before you turn around and politely ask the parent to have their child stop, put some perspective on your situation. Realize how lucky you are and be grateful for that and watch your outlook change.

Oh, so you're not one of the 0.00123% lucky enough to vacation in Hawaii? I get it, but maybe you're still lucky enough to be able to go out to dinner (The Bell or anywhere). Afterall, 12.9% of the world's population suffer from chronic undernourishment according to the The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. And here you are enjoying a pack of Doritos Locos Tacos, maybe even rolling up to the drive up window in your shiny car. See, it's really not so bad.

The goal isn't to focus on the negative world situation so that you feel better but to appreciate your current situation and put into perspective how much worse things could be.

Conclusion

So there you have it, feeling less stressed yet? No? Of course not, changes won't happen instantly. Keep coming back to this article, ready it daily and practice it constantly. It's all about developing mindsets and mental routines. But stick with it and you should see a very positive change after a few days and weeks. Before you know it you'll should be considerably less stressed out and hopefully on a positive path to a healthy lifestyle like we discuss in A Healthy Lifestyle - Where Do You Start?.

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