Manage Stress, Don’t Accept It
Living in this modern world means you’ll need to manage stress. That said, managing stress does not mean that you have to accept stress. Money, relationships, and work are inevitable stressors in life. Each can be managed thoughtfully and in a manner that sets your life on an easier path. Stress can be present but it doesn’t mean you need to be accepting of stress and stressful situations. So what does this mean to you?
Taking a step back is a necessary intervention. It's not until you step back from the chaos that you have normalized can you assess the magnitude of what you allowed yourself to deal with. It's not until you step back can you understand what ‘normal’ can feel like. Explore some of these tips to manage your stress while not accepting it.
DETERMINE WHAT YOU NEED TO EARN TO LIVE
Are you working to make a car payment you don't actually need? Are you working nights and weekends for an apartment rent in the “hottest area”? Determine what you need versus what you want. This is critical for managing stress associated with money. A little education about money management, and charting money in and out can be simple tools to manage a huge stress we all face.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE YOU ENJOY
Only spend time with people that you want to be around. Easy to say, tough to apply. Your inner circle should be people that build you up, motivate you, and can be critical when needed to help push you to being better. Also ensure that you are setting boundaries in your relationships. Learn more about how to set and communicate boundaries in this blog.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Education can mean a lot of things. If you find yourself anxious over money, educate yourself about money. If you're depressed over work, educate yourself towards a new career. Being educated on a topic shrinks the knowledge gap that can often be the trigger for anxiety. “Only the educated are free”- Epictetus.
DIET & EXERCISE
A healthy body is a vital portion to achieving and maintaining a healthy mind. Time in the gym, hiking, or spending some time addressing your physical well-being for many (myself included) is a vital part of addressing stress. The diet aspect can also address anxiety, depression, and other mood swings. Sugar, caffeine, and carbohydrates can alter our mentality and create massive mood swings that generate more self induced stress on us mentally and physically.
THERAPY
As you imagine a blog written by a therapist would advocate for therapy! This still remains a vital part in the management of stress on a multitude of levels.
Are you ready to explore how to manage your stress and not accept it?
The first step for many is reaching out to a therapist and working through the layers of factors that drives our stressors in life. Your therapist can help you explore the nature of your stress, your triggers, and lifestyle it's hard to make suggestions to your stress management approach.
