Stress, a 6 letter word I am sure anyone reading this can relate to. We wait our whole lives to become a grown up, to have our own grown up money, and our own grown up things. They forget to teach us that a lot of grown up things can come with stress.
It is safe to say between a full-time job, a growing business, being a wife, daughter, friend, and maintaining a household, there is a TEENSIE bit a lot of stress in my life. The downside to stress, besides the obvious teeth grinding, lack of energy, and plain ol’ feeling like crap, is that stress can cause lower immunity, abdominal fat, decreased muscle in muscle tissues, and even heart attacks.
Why?! Because our bodies release cortisol when we are stressed out. Too much cortisol in our bloodstream causes the negative effects above. High-stress doesn’t allow our body to return to a normal state, resulting in a state of chronic stress.
In a perfect world, I would be able to eliminate all of my stress forever, but we all know that isn’t 100% realistic. To keep cortisol levels under control, we must train our body to relax in high-stress environments and create lifestyle changes that will keep our body from reacting to stress. I have been working to find new ways to not just manage stress, but to help reduce it as well.
Here are 4 things I have been doing lately to reduce stress:
Meditation and Journal Writing I have found that mediation and writing in a journal each morning is helpful for me when it comes time to take on the day. I wake up earlier each morning and take the time to read faith based devotionals and journal in my journal. I have several journals that I keep. One for my thoughts/devotionals, one for personal development notes from podcasts, and one for my business. I enjoy meditation, although some mornings I cannot fit in an additional 20 minutes. I search YouTube for guided mediation, choose one that fits with my needs (success, relaxation, etc.), and sit with my headphones in.
You are what you listen to! I didn’t realize how big of a role music played in my life when it comes to feeling lifted up, positive, and de-stressed. Don’t get me wrong, I love the latest Justin Bieber album or a little bit of Drake! I have been saving that playlist for the gym when I need a little bit of pumped up sound. I have been listening to more Christian music and podcasts. I listen to the Air 1 or 89.7 KSGN app on my phone in the morning. I will also listen to church service (our church here) or self-improvement podcasts (motivating here) also while I am driving or getting ready for work. It is helpful to constantly fill my head with positive, affirming words.
Sometimes we need more help! Sometimes we need a little bit more help when it comes to handling stress. I have fallen in love with ClearMood and Oasis from Advocare. ClearMood was one of the very first supplements I took from Advocare almost 2 years ago. I fell in love with the way it made me feel brighter and happier, without making me feel drowsy. I use Oasis, a blueberry flavored drink during the afternoon on very stressful days. The B vitamins give me a little bit of an energy boost, without caffeine and the herbal blend helps keep me calm. Growing up, I was prescribed Ativan as a solution to my anxiety. All it did was make me feel high and knock me out. I was so RELIEVED when I found Oasis. It was something that noticeably made me feel calmer, but at the same time it made me feel more alert. I have bundled these for purchase on my Advocare site here or if you have more questions, I would be happy to chat. Just email me, PanzaAvenue@gmail.com.
Dream bigger! In a post about stress, you want me to dream bigger??!?! That is absolutely correct! If it is your job or current circumstances causing you the most stress, why not dream a little bit bigger. What is your plan for the next 5, 10, or 15 years? Is your current stress going to follow you around until you retire? I would hope that you would want to find a bigger purpose for yourself than living stressed out. One of my favorite quotes, “Your current circumstances are not an accurate indicator of your value or of your destiny! – Ron Reynolds” Dream bigger and create a plan to find happiness and peace in your life. Life is too short to live unhappy, stressed out, and not in love with your life!
I hope these tips were helpful for you! What are some of the ways you manage your stress? I would love to hear from you in the comments or by email!
Thank you for taking the time to read along!
xo, AP
