Stress - best to explore it and not ignore it!

We all experience stress in our lives and if we change how we perceive our situation, then this gives us choice and knowing that we have choice actually empowers us.

Stress is a physical, mental, or emotional response to events that causes bodily or mental tension.

A staggering 75% of the UK population are experiencing some form of stress daily! Work-related stress accounts for over a third of all new incidences of ill health.

Lets explore something that stresses you out - be open and honest and answer the following questions and capture your answers:

Where does the stress happen? (environment) When does it take place? (is there a build up?) How do you respond? Where do you feel stress in the body? What are your negative thoughts? (What are you thinking?) What positive thoughts can you think instead? What is the worst that can happen? What are you doing? (Be a fly on the wall, looking at yourself) What is the learning here? What can you do to help yourself?

10 things that can help you de-stress:

1) Abdominal breathing (calms your nervous system).
2) Relaxation exercises.
3) Meditation.
4) Talk things through with someone.
5) Hobbies/activities.
6) Sleep.
7) Work on your goals and aims.
8) Do something that will make you laugh and feel happy.
9) Pamper yourself.
10)Take a break.

Positive coping strategies for stress:

Physical and lifestyle strategies                                                                                 

• Taking time out to stop, recognise and feel how the body is responding.
• Low-stress diet.
• Regular exercise.
• Downtime.
• Time management (appropriate pacing).
• Choosing a non-toxic environment.
• Material security.
• Get involved in something that interests you.
• Pets.

Emotional strategies                                                                                                               

• Social support and relatedness.
• Self-nurturing.
• Good communication.
• Assertiveness.
• Sense of humour – put things into perspective.
• Patience - be in touch with your emotions and allow them to release.

Cognitive strategies                                                                                                      

• Constructive thinking – change negative and unhelpful thoughts to positive empowering thoughts.
• Distraction – distract yourself if getting involved in negative thoughts, change your energy.
• Take a task and solution focused attitude to problem-solving
• Acceptance (accept and cope with setbacks).

Philosophical/spiritual approach                                                                                       

• Consistent goals, aims or targets to work towards.
• Positive philosophy of life.
• Religious or spiritual life and commitment (feeling of trust in your faith, or something bigger than you whether you see that as power, a force or intelligence or the big picture of your life).
• Trust – eventually problems all work out.

We all have different tolerance levels to different things, what might completely stress you out may not bother your friend, partner or work colleague and vice versa.

Some stress can be helpful, an example would be to have a tight deadline to work on something. This might mean you can act quicker and get more organised and might even complete the task sooner than expected as you have a little pressure!