Stress is one of the most common issues that people face daily. You would be surprised as to how many people deal and/or struggle with enormous amounts of stress, whether it be financial stress, work stress or even personal stress. After having one of the most stressful weeks of my and my fiance’s life, I decided to write this blog post on stress and mostly, ways of dealing with it.
A question that people often ask, is why is it so important to manage or deal with your stress? Why cant I just be stressed, pretend it doesn’t exist and carry on? Well, according to helpguide.org, “If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life”. Now, I don’t know about you, but stress now sounds a lot more serious than people make it out to be. People constantly undermine the power of stress and anxiety because it is something that is considered to be ‘common’, but it is a serious matter people!
Now, before we get really morbid, let’s move on to what I like to call ‘the fun stuff’. Ways of dealing with stress. I call this the ‘fun stuff’ because it generally makes my life a lot more fun!
Listed below are a few of my favourite, as well as the most eminent ways of managing stress.
- Let it all out! Yes, let it all out! Talk about your feelings, cry ,laugh even scream! It’s ok and talking about your feelings is actually one of the healthiest ways of relieving stress. If you aren’t comfortable talking to your friends or family or even your spouse (my poor fiance is always listening to ALL my issues LOL!) chat to a psychologist. Even if it is once a month or once every few months, it is OK and you will be so surprised as to how much it can help.
- Write. Whether its a diary you keep, a journal or even poetry or songwriting, write your feelings down. Much like talking, it helps you get how you are feeling out in the open and out of your head and can often help you understand how to deal with these feelings. Sometimes all you actually had to do is write them down to realise that you may even be overthinking and being a tad bit irrational.
- Meditation. An often undermined act, meditation is a wonderful soother for all things ‘stress’. It helps calm your mind and relax your body as a whole. People often misconceive meditation to be something that only certain ‘groups’ of people can do, but they are completely wrong. Actors even meditate before performances to calm their mind and get into character. Two easy and great ways to meditate is through focusing on the present, for example lying down and just focusing on your breathing, as well as through guided imagery which is closing your eyes and imagining yourself in any setting that makes you feel calm and relaxed. You can use sounds, a book or even a teacher to help you with this one.
- Exercise. (My absolute favourite) Exercise is a HUGE stress reliever. Often on days when I am really stressed out, I will force myself to go to gym or even just to go for a run and I always, without a doubt, feel so much better afterwards. Training produces endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as ‘natural pain killers’, therefor making you feel better! It also makes you tired, which helps you sleep, which in turn helps relieve your stress. It may be hard to get yourself to the gym, but it is seriously worth it in the end!
So that concludes my little “stress talk”. I really hope that I have helped at least one person out or even just reminded you that you are not the only one.
If you know any other ways of relieving stress or want to just share your advice email us at info@feelgoodco.co.za and #JoinTheConversation
Stefanie Pereira
