Everyone knows that Stress has a huge impact on our lives. That also applies to when you are trying to discover your passion and true purpose in life. Stress has an impact on our body, mind and how we work.
Here is how Stress can affect you:
- Reduced focus
- Decreased motivation
- Racing mind
- Feeling tense
- Spiralling into anxiety
These are just some of the things how stress can affect you. And when you are trying to dig deep and discover what it is you really want, these things can really stop you from getting there. Being in a state of stress will prevent us seeing clearly and finding what it is we are here to do.
So, what can you do when you feel stressed?
3 ways to relax when you are stressed
One of the ways to beat stress is to try and relax. You can try one (or more) of the following:
- Stop and take a deep breath – this is great as you can do this anywhere
- Box Breathing (breathe in for 4, hold your breath for 4, breathe out for 4)
- Do a visualisation or meditation
Stress Journal
Another great thing to do is start a stress journal so that you can start tracking your stress, reflect on it and notice patterns so that you can avoid it.
Within the stress journal, reflect on the following questions:
“What caused my stress?”
“How did I feel? Both emotionally and physically? How did the stress impact me?”
“How did I react in response to the stress?”
“Did I do anything to make me feel better? If so, what was it. If not, why not and what could I do next time?”
Stress management tips
What can you do when you are feeling stressed and wanting to get out of that survival mode and back to yourself?
- Get moving – no matter in what way – walking, running, yoga, whatever works for you
- Get out there and engage socially – this is something that you potentially don’t want to do when you are feeling stressed, but it makes a huge difference
- Avoid the stressor – this is where your Stress Journal comes in handy
- Change or alter the situation or adapt – see if you can do anything differently and therefore change the situation
- Accept the things that you can’t change – You may not be able to change the stressor, but you can change the way you react to it. Don’t worry about anything that is out of your control, focus on what YOU can do.
- Make time for fun and chill – whatever that means to you. Ensure that you are laughing and have a good time.
No one likes to be stressed, but in we all feel stressed at one time or another. Start your Stress journal and start to recognise the patterns, triggers etc and learn how to stop the breaks on your stress before it hits you!