People are more anxious and stressed out than ever before. Polls say so, research says so and I say “Stress is the number one thing that underlies poor health and poor quality of life”. Not many patients and students I see are immune to the stress of modern life, and it is taking a toll!
Chronic psychological stress reduces quality of life and causes our health to decline. Worrying about finances, health, politics, relationships, the safety of our self and our family and add to that list…worrying about trying to make a difference…all activate our biology and physiology through our nervous system and cause oxidative damage to our cells! This is not good!
Stress depletes glutathione…gluta-what? Glutathione is one of the main antioxidants that our cells have to defend themselves against damage. And that’s just one of the biological processes that go on inside us!
This is why stress-reduction practices are so important.
This is why I practice and teach yoga – postures and meditation.
Stress is something we do unconsciously. Before we know it…there we go at it again, and again, and again!
HERE’S HOW TO REDUCE YOUR HABIT OF STRESSING OUT
- BE PRESENT
Stress is often a result of where we put our focus.
Are you caught up in the dramas of the past?
Are you worrying about future dilemmas that may never happen?
The present is the only place to be. Here and now is where all the action is.
We can’t adequately respond to what is happening now if in our head we are rehashing past scenarios, or imagining the future falling apart. By attending to what is right in front of us right now we can reduce the risk of misunderstandings and therefore reduce conflict.
- CHANGE YOUR FOCUS
Are you looking for the next thing to go wrong?
Just stop that. Start looking for what is right.
It takes training to wire our self to look for what is working. So practice…set yourself a daily task of finding at least one thing that makes you smile. Then smile.
Often we overlook the simple things. It doesn’t have to be grand, exceptional or extraordinary…smile at the small things.
- BE GRATEFUL
And not just for the good stuff! That’s too easy.
Ever notice how challenges often show us our strengths? Times of trouble can develop our ability to be resilient. Even if for a while we buckle under pressure…we can extend compassion to our self. Just like we would do for another in such instances.
- BE KIND
Include yourself…be kind to you too.
Speak nicely to yourself.
Be loving to yourself.
Be kind to others.
Be kind to the planet.
- KNOW YOUR LIMITS
Do what you can and let the rest be!
In this age of being called to so much action…choose…what you value most and put your energy there.
One small thing can make a difference. So don’t beat yourself up if you don’t tick all the boxes on your ‘save the planet list’ or whatever other list you’ve got.
Prioritize what you can do and delegate if you can.
- SIMPLIFY
If you really want to decrease what tips you into stress mode…simplify!
Stop being so high maintenance. Let go of the unnecessary. Get back to basics and get back to what truly matters to you. Stop trying to keep up some unattainable standard. Get real and come back to what is really meaningful.
It’s not what we’ve accumulated that matters, is it!? It’s the moments of connection we have with those we love. So make room for what matters most.
So, let’s all exhale a long sigh!
Ahhhhhhhhhh….let it go, let it go, let it go!
I think yoga is the best stress reduction system on the planet. Not the pretzel-like poses, although that might just be the thing for you…the varied practices and guidelines that yoga offers can be tailored to suit you.
Yoga calms the nervous system. It teaches us simple tools to train our self to be able to chill out. It trains us to be able to cope better in this modern world and enables us to build resilience. Over time yoga transforms us…with regular practice we can stop stressing…and begin to allow stressful situations to be something we handle with greater ease. We can learn to be calm despite the storm. We can relax more and enjoy life.
