Stress is becoming an all to common problem in our everyday lives. From stress in the work place to stress back at home and everything in between, it seems to be an unbeatable crisis to kick. So how can we tame this invisible beast and how can we empower ourselves to negate the effects of stress and live healthier lifestyles? In this article we will discuss what stress is, in simple terms, I will speak about some of my own personal experiences and tools I have learnt as well as highlight some activities which may help reduce stress and the impact it has on your life. So, what is stress?
Stress is our bodies natural way of responding to any pressure or threat. It is an automatic reaction of our nervous system releasing cortisol and adrenaline. Unfortunately, our body finds it hard these days to differentiate everyday stress to that of a more life threatening experience. This could be a result of the source of our stress and the unnatural way we live today. For example, stress during our hunting and gathering era would have been more distinguishable, threat from a predator, threat of no food, or the coming winter. Nowadays its small triggers that can set us off without us even realizing. Receiving an unexpected bill, meeting work related deadlines, getting the kids to school on time, just minor everyday things which can elicit severe stress to occur. It is estimated that close to 1 in 3 Australians are struggling with above normal stress levels and is seemingly increasing. We all experience stress, unfortunately, if not managed it has the nature to compile and become evermore daunting. Lack of sleep and panic for example can be a further reaction to say piling up bills, which only enhances the impact to your body and mind.
I have over the years learnt to deal with simple triggers and I would like to share some of my life experiences with you. I underwent anger management sessions as a child due to family issues and divorce. Looking back this largely helped me develop skills early on to stop and breathe, take a step back from certain situations and think prior to acting. I have also had some pretty life changing experiences, one of which was breaking my neck. This injury highlighted the fragility of life for me and actually helped put life into perspective. As a result I do not worry about little things, because in the greater scheme of things, they really do not matter. I have also found that focusing on the little things will only allow them to compile until all you see is hopelessness. Negativity only attracts more negativity, that is a fundamental belief that I have.
I learnt how to deal with my stress through some pretty dumb luck. I don’t believe anything to date has been unlucky for me personally, even breaking my neck. I should have been a quadriplegic or dead, so I am more than lucky and grateful to be here with only a stiff neck to show for it. If I can give you one piece of advice, learn to let go of negative things in your life, as I mentioned earlier, negativity only breeds more negativity, which in turn leads to aggravated stress. I bet there are a number negative things impacting your life and causing you constant stress right now and you my friend have the power to change that. Disputes with family or friends, perhaps you missed that promotion at work, or someone scratched your car, you received a fine or your partner left you. Who knows and really, who cares. Are you ill from a terminal disease, are you starving and unable to feed your family, are you fleeing from a war torn country? Lets be real, a lot of little things that occur in our day to day lives are trivial in comparison to what a majority of the population go through each and every day on a global scale. We all have problems, the difference is how we manage those problems, will it be to your advantage and benefit or will you allow little things to be the catalyst for larger problems in your life? It’s on you!
The last thing I would like to leave you with, are some actions you can take to help deal with stress either at the time of it occurring or for ongoing management. These methods will seem pretty simple, but if you are severely suffering from stress then it is likely you are not doing a number of them. The first of these is deep breathing, this is a great immediate action to take when you are feeling stressed or anxious, 3 deep breaths is all it takes. The benefits are vast and have been known for centuries. Simply focus on the deep breath going in, and focus on slowly exhaling, out the more the merrier. Doing a hobby or just anything you enjoy is another, seems obvious right, but do you? Happiness is a powerful ally in managing stress and anxiety. We are constantly doing things for others and it is important to do some things for you more routinely. We will be much happier as a result and it is ok to be a bit selfish from time to time, in fact, it is essential to your own happiness. Eating right is fundamental to a healthy body and mind, I’m not saying to be a saint, I still eat junk food and drink from time to time, the secret is control and portion sizes. Be strict on yourself. In conjunction with eating better, start an exercise regime, it doesn’t need to be vigorous to start with, start by doing anything, go for a jog or a walk, do some push ups and sit ups every morning, anything to get your body moving, this will help largely in managing stress. Finally do your research, there are a number of methodologies out there to help you deal with stress and anxiety, the more research you do the more efficiently you will be able to manage the effects. Knowledge is power and you can train your brain to overcome certain thoughts and feelings that cause detriment to your well being.
I hope that this short article has helped in giving you some ideas on how to manage stress, but more importantly want to manage it for your own benefit. We so often just accept things as they come, not realizing our lives would taste so much sweeter if we just said enough is enough. You cannot change that stress is a reality, but what you can change is your own habits to better manage stress and eliminate it from your own life. Research the topic and learn the tools which work for you to overcome this and gain control. I promise you, your life in every respect will be so much better off for it. This is your life and your journey, you and you alone are the one responsible for how much pleasure and joy you experience along the way.
Thank you for reading and all the best till next time.
Liam Correy.