Stress is a known contributing factor to many diseases.  The Latin prefix “dis” means away from or apart from.  So a body with disease is a body that is not at ease.  Since stress is a major part of our lives this could obviously become problematic, but it doesn’t have to be that way.  It’s all about how we manage the stress.

Stress itself isn’t a bad thing.  Think about it.  When you want to get in shape you certainly don’t do it by lying around resting all the time.  You put your body through a fair amount of stress in the form of exercise and it responds and adapts.  This is how we increase our strength, stamina, and flexibility.  So then, it’s not necessarily that stress is bad but rather our response to the stress.  Part of how we respond to stress is simply how we communicate with ourselves.  If you tell yourself that something is stressful, it surely will be.

Of course, there are instances that truly are stressful.  If you are someone who is terrified of heights, then you would probably find a job as a skyscraper window washer to be quite stressful.  If you are someone who is claustrophobic, then you would probably find working in a cubicle all day to be stressful.

Since we can’t completely eliminate stress, not that we would even want to, we need to learn how to manage it.  Here are ten surefire ways to help manage stress:

1.    Don’t Over Commit. Simplify your schedule to where you’re not trying to do too many things.  When you cram too many activities into your life, it’s hard to enjoy them for worrying about what’s next on your list.  How much can you really enjoy a vacation when you have to see every single attraction?  How much can a child really enjoy their childhood when they are participating in so many activities that they need to schedule play dates weeks in advance?  Really!
2.    Prioritize. Don’t try to do everything.  Just pick what’s most important and do that first.  Be like a postage stamp and stick to one thing until you reach your destination.
3.    Exercise. Pick an activity you enjoy and get moving.  This is really a great way to alleviate tension.  The key is to do something you really enjoy.  Don’t let the weather stop you either.  This can be as simple as putting on some music and dancing around the house.
4.    Relax. Take a little time each day to do something relaxing.  It could be time spent with a nice long bath, a good book, a love making session, a massage, meditation, a walk, listening to music, or anything else you find relaxing.
5.    Live Within Your Means. Financial worries can cause a lot of stress.  Living within your means can help this greatly.  If you’re in debt, figure out where you can cut expenses.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have fun which brings us to our next point.
6.    Be Creative. Creativity feels good and is a great stress reducer.  Whether it’s playing an instrument, writing, painting, sculpting, photography, gardening or whatever, just create something and see how good it makes you feel.
7.    Get Organized. No doubt you’ve heard the saying, “A place for everything and everything in it’s place.” When you’re not organized you waste so much time just trying to find things. Get rid of excess clutter in your home and office. It feels good to live in a clean and clutter-free environment.  Have your bills paid automatically.  Plan your grocery shopping and meals in advance.
8.    Laugh. Now this is a biggie. Huge. Just as stress can be harmful, laughter can be beneficial.  Try to do something fun every day.  Play a game or watch a funny movie.
9.    Eat right. Try to develop healthy eating habits.  It doesn’t have to be extreme, just try the 80/20 rule.  Make sure that 80 percent of what you eat is healthy and then you can indulge in the other 20 percent.
10.    Focus On The Good Stuff. As the late George Carlin would have said, "Don’t sweat the petty stuff and don’t pet the sweaty stuff!" Quit worrying because it never helps.  Focus on all that is good in your life and be grateful.  Have an attitude of gratitude.  It’s easy to be happy when you realize all the things you have for which to be thankful.  When you’re happy it’s much easy to keep stress under control.

So there you have it.  The easiest ways I know to keep stress from being too stressful!

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Filed under: Attitude • Change • Creativity • Focus • Gratitude • L O V E • Laughter • Meditation • Self-Improvement • Stress Management • Uncategorized • Worry

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