Handling Stress

Every new challenging situation brings along
a ticking bomb of stress!

If you're feeling overwhelmed and anxious as you take on a new path in life or trying to change old toxic habits and you feel like you just can't do it, this article is for you!

Stress is different for everyone, a situation that is stressful to you might be a piece of cake to someone else, that's why dealing with stress factors might not apply to everyone in the same way that it applies to you. You just need to go with whatever works for you.

First, let's tackle more into the meaning of stress. Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat, when you sense danger whether it’s real or a product of imagination.
That feeling of overwhelming emotions is the way our body reacts towards stress. Our body uses what is called "The fight or flight response;" this refers to the way your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed up your reaction time, and enhance your focus—preparing you to either fight or run away from the situation. 

Here are some techniques to deal with stressful situations :

1.STOP AND BREATHE

It's important to stop, pause and breathe. Take a second to absorb the situation. Let your body know that it's okay. This will give you time to calm down and respond rationally. 

2.YOU ARE IN CONTROL

Be certain that nothing and no-one is capable of controlling how you respond to a situation. You might not be able to control what's going on, but you can control how you react to it. 

3. CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE

We focus way too much on what's stressing us and too little on what we should be thankful for. For example, you could be waiting for some upcoming event that keeps getting postponed, instead of being anxious about how late things are, be grateful for not getting something that isn't worthy. 

4. SAY IT ON REPEAT " I GOT THIS"

Be confident in your skills, knowledge, and experience. Panicking is not going to get you through this. Trust your knowledge and intuitions. Use positive affirmations to do so. 

5.LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE

Observe the situation from a different perspective. Imagine that the problem is someone else's and not yours, how would you react? Would you advise this person to do what you're doing right now?

Think of yourself as if you're floating out of your body, look from far beyond at what's happening then detect the wrong behavior pattern and stop it. 

After all, don't expect things to go perfectly. Dealing with stress takes a lot of practice. It won't be solved overnight. Start following the steps above when facing a stressful situation
and gradually it won't be as hard as it used to be.