How to Deal with Stress

Even if we wish it weren’t true, stress is simply a part of life — everyone feels it now and then. Stress is your mind and body’s reaction to challenges. At the end of the day, stress is something we have to learn how to manage so we can accomplish our goals. You are the manager of your own life. While you can’t control everything, you can manage your reactions and help shape your future. 

Stress can be a road bump in our journey, but by understanding ourselves and leaning into smart stress management tactics, we can deal with our stress and accomplish more things no matter what life throws at us. 

Here are a few ways to deal with stress: 

• Manage your physical reaction: Stress may make you feel anything from jittery to short of breath. To manage your physical reaction to stress, consider pausing to calm down and trying to take a few big breaths. In the meantime, make sure you get enough sleep, exercise and nutrition to help your body manage stress long-term. 
• Know emotions are temporary: Recognize how your emotions are making you feel. Give yourself some space to feel those things, but remember that feelings don’t last forever. Make sure you determine decisions rationally instead of acting emotionally. 
• Lean into a positive attitude: When we are stressed, it’s easy to think negative thoughts, but those negative thoughts are more likely to make our stress worse. By thinking positively, you can deal with the situation more calmly and feel empowered to create a better outcome. Find the silver lining behind the cause of stress. Brainstorm ways that dealing with this challenge will help you be better in the future.
• Picture positive resolutions: Consider the best way to handle the situations that are stressing you out. Imagine what the most positive outcome could be and work towards making that vision a reality. 

Question

1. How do you think finding healthy ways to manage stress can help you succeed? 
2. What are some tactics you use to manage stress? 
3. What helps you unwind and de-stress? 

Resources

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/8133-stress-10-ways-to-ease-stress