5 Things You Can Do To Turn The Tables on Stress
When I was twenty, I went through some life-changing experiences. My family left our church, and those of you who know church-speak, that’s usually a big deal. We moved to a different state because of it and then…...I got expelled from school (I promise you, what I did was not as bad as it sounds).
All of those compounded together had me in a serious spiral especially because as a young adult, that was all I had ever known. I had trusted, believed, given, and just been young….time to grow up.
It took me years to work through the stress and grief of what happened. But now, years later, that is one of things I am most grateful for as it grew my resilience and perception immensely.
We were already stressed before the world caught on fire. According to the American Psychological Association, 80 percent of people said that they had recently experienced a physical or emotional symptom of stress like headaches or feeling overwhelmed or depressed.
We also know a lot about stress. We know that the fight or flight response saved our ancestors, that it is good in small doses, but too much is depressing or dangerous, and that chronic stress can contribute to a host of diseases.
And even though we are informed about the causes and solutions, we are still stressed? Stress is not going to go away. And while stress is here to stay, that does not mean that you have to live in a constant state of overwhelm. Look at your unique stressors and needs and then start building solutions. Here are a few things that I have learned over the years to help me when stress levels start to get high.
Focus on your circle of influence. We can not control COVID right now, the actions of others, and honestly, almost everything going on in the world today. Take a step back and simply acknowledge it. Putting a name to a feeling spurs your brain into action. Instead of internalizing the woes of the world, focus on yourself. What can you do to be better. Learn, give, make your space beautiful, spread love to your family and others, etc…
Take things OFF of your plate. Remove yourself from a situation if you can. Give yourself permission to not be superwoman and just take things a day at a time. If you can identify your triggers and learn to manage those (that family member who always says the “right” thing), even better.
Speaking of plate, munch on some Vitamin C. Red bell peppers and citrus fruit are high in vitamin C, and research shows that these can actually reduce the amount of cortisol released, thus putting the brakes on stress. Food is medicine so watch what you eat.
Get physical. Exercise is a proven stress-reliever and it has lots of other benefits as well. Get in the routine of exercising thirty minutes a day based on your comfort level, whether that be a bike ride, walk, or run. You can even make it social by going with a friend.