Can YOU control stress?

Stress is something that all of us deal with from time to time but unfortunately, there are times whenever it may get so strong that it can be difficult to handle.  Some of us may even experience anxiety attacks, a very common occurrence in today’s world.  The reality of it is, however, stress, in itself, is not necessarily a bad thing.  As a matter of fact, we need stress in order to deal with situations that come up in our lives that need a bit more attention than usual, just run of the mill, everyday issues. Thing is, although we need it, we also need to learn to control stress.

The problem occurs whenever the stress gets so difficult to handle or appears so often, that it seems to just compound itself.  There comes a time when we are seemingly unable to handle the situation, and eventually, we are going to need to learn how to control the stress otherwise it is going to ruin our lives.

One way that you can do this is by changing your thinking.  I know that sounds rather simplistic, but it is one of the most effective ways for you to be able to handle and control the stress that you are under.

If you are already at breaking point as far as your stress is concerned, it may take a little bit of time to adjust your thinking and benefit from this particular method.  The good news is, you will experience almost immediate results that you will be able to identify with rather quickly.  Simply begin to change the way that you think about stress and to look at your situation in life through a more positive aspect.  It is not necessary, or  probably possible for you to get rid of your stress altogether, that would be counterproductive.  What is necessary, however, is to learn to control stress, and realize that not everything needs to be on your shoulders, and quite honestly, there are some things that you cannot change.

If you set aside the things that you cannot change and stop fretting over them, that will leave you only with the situations or problems that should concern you.  By dealing with them one at a time, considering that the others will have to wait until you get to them, you will be able to eventually get through the list and control stress more effectively.

You may also want to set up specific “YOU” time in order to help to control stressful situations.  If your stress level remains at an elevated state for too long, it can actually affect your health and this can make it more difficult for us to get through our day-to-day activities.  That is why it is a good idea to schedule some stress busting time for yourself, perhaps through going out with friends, or even taking up a sport etc.  Even doing something for ourselves such as this a few times a month can really go a long way in reducing our stress levels.

It’s really just a case of understanding the actual causes of your stress or anxiety, then it becomes far easier to enjoy a better life, apparently without stress… If you are able to do this, it is a method that you can use for the rest of your life to successfully control stress.

How much of what you intended to do today, did you actually accomplish?

Far less than you expected is often normal… That’s because the pressures of modern life have a nasty habit of running right over you so that you spend most of your time “catching up”. So here’s a few tips…

Get control… Know what you have to do, and get it done. For example, when it is time to get from home to work or from work to home, you will be ready for the transition.

To accomplish this, you’ll want to think of your ‘work time’ and your ‘personal time’ as existing in two different worlds. Each of these ‘worlds’ requires different skills and a different focus, but they are both important.

You can use some of the ideas here to create a ‘transition’ ritual for yourself – one that gets you out of one world and ready for another.

To go from home to work, you can try these things:

Get things ready the night before. Don’t wait until the chaos of the morning to pack lunches and iron clothes. Sign homework and pack your briefcase or car for work the night before, so you don’t forget anything. The less rattled you are going into the day, the less unbalanced you will feel throughout the day. Set your alarm and get up on time so you don’t have to rush. Always allow enough time for that last minute emergency, if you have kids. They have a way of foiling the best-laid plans.

You can try getting up before everyone else does if you think this might work for you. That will give you a little quiet time to get things done in peace before the rest of the house starts to stir and you are less likely to forget things in the rush. Some people use this extra quiet time to have a cup of coffee and write out their list for the day. Whatever works for you is fine!

Be sure you don’t run short on time to get to work. If you have young children, you have to be creative here. A ‘goodbye’ routine is a good idea. One that is fun and easy for the kids to get into will make the drop-off at daycare a lot easier and you will be out the door in no time.

These routines take a few tries to get right, so be patient with yourself and your children. Perhaps you can make a game of the tasks to be performed on the way out the door by using the familiar ‘Simon Says’. “Simon says get your lunch out of the refrigerator”.

Have a plan for what you will do if your child is sick or if you wake up to a foot of snow and you can’t miss work.

Use your trip to work – by train, car or bus – to read a book you enjoy, make a list of action items for the day, have a cup of your favorite coffee or listen to your favorite CD or meditation tape. You’ll need that sense of Zen and organization to get ready for the day, and you’ll greet the problems of the day with calm, and focused approach…

Ok, that will get you started… But now what?

How about a FREE book? Currently, my blog readers can get this ebook free… See opposite.

Just as willpower is an essential factor in achieving success, at some point in time, discouragement and lack of motivation may hinder you from reaching your objective.  And it is up to you, and you alone to devise techniques that will help you keep that drive within on fire…

It is helpful to have visual goals. whatsoever that is you are working towards, make it visual. It maybe something material like a car, or a vacation you have been looking forward to for the longest time. Take or cut out a picture of it and post it at a conspicuous place at work or at home where you can see it often. So that when you feel discouraged, this will remind you of your goal and will help you keep your spotlight.

Make a contract with yourself. According to motivational researches, people who write down to-do-lists are far more triumphant in achieving their intended goals than those people who just keep mental lists instead. Putting something in writing somehow makes it more powerful psychologically speaking. This may also be the basis why most cultures have such a high regard in honoring contracts. In the contract, you may also include a certain reward that you will give yourself once you have accomplished the task.

After all, everyone likes to be rewarded for completing a good job. Even a simple pat on the back, “good job”, or “thank you” may do the trick to give the person the additional push to carry on, but unfortunately, these may not
always be readily available. Considering that these are also essential in keeping yourself motivated, you must learn to find a way to get that encouragement on your own through pleasing yourself.

Abusive people lower your self-esteem and bring you down. Get these negative people out of your life. Surround yourself with positive people. Imitate their example. Smile often and think happy thoughts. These will give you a brighter outlook and lets you see a clearer picture of what you really want and a fresh mind to know what steps to take to get there. Rather than wait for things to happen, try to be proactive and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Inactivity idles the brain and stagnates your potential to reach your goals.

Read inspirational books and literature. These will help you improve your attitude and heal your mind. A book of success stories also proves to be encouraging. You will not only learn from others’ experiences and derive confidence boosting insights from them but the story will be instrumental in motivating you to go for your goal and move ahead with your plans. If this still seems to falter, get training or education.

Usually, not knowing how or where to start is frustrating. Knowledge is power. Having a clear understanding of how and where to start is empowering and it will provide the extra drive needed to hit the mark you are aiming at and follow it through.

Having enumerated all these tips and tricks to attain self-motivation, but still you seem to feel lacking that much needed drive, there is one last thing that you must try.

Whatever it is that you have been meaning to do, or wanting to achieve, JUST DO IT! Keep on aiming high and go for it! Actually getting your hands dirty best solves the problem of motivation. By “forcing” yourself to just do it, your momentum will pick up gradually as you go along and before you know it you have finished the task or have finally achieved your goal. Divide and conquer is the key.

Break down the apparently unattainable activity to small doable steps. Not only does it become less overwhelming, but seeing the “in the meantime” results will further your confidence that it can indeed be done.

Lack of motivation happens to us all, but if you do not encourage yourself to accept opportunities and be challenged, no one else will. It is most important to keep your eye on the goal, find ways to keep going, and in no time, you shall reap its benefits.

And if at the beginning you were just doing it for the material reward, you will also learn to realize that the fulfillment, satisfaction and self-achievement you derive from reaching your goal is a much enjoyable high that will keep the drive within constantly burning.

Unlock the secret power beyond positive thinking. Finally develop the confidence and motivation to really make a big difference in your life. The  “Investing In You” course includes MP3 Audio and Ebook.

You may be thinking that the title of this article is too dramatic… But in actual fact it’s extremely accurate!

Any Doctor will tell you that chronic stress conditions lead to thousands of serious illnesses and deaths every single year. A situation that appears to worsen as the pressures of modern life increase on a daily basis. Not only do you run the risk of mental disorders, but there are heart attacks, strokes, tobacco and alcohol addiction amongst many others that are more often than not attributed to being stress- related.

As you know, many people have Therapists to ease their worries and help them overcome stress… Which is fine and dandy… If you can afford it! However, for the rest of us mere mortals, if we had the money for Therapists, we may not be quite as stressed as we now! Obviously, lack of money is not the only cause of extreme stress, but it is one heck of a “biggie” these days (thank you Mr Banker!).

So, what do the “rest of us” do?

Don’t worry, you can learn to overcome stress , if your willing to put in the time and effort to help yourself, and it’s actually easier than you may think, once you know how…

There are various methods, and obviously I can’t cover all of them here (you would need several books!) and some will suit one person better than others, nonetheless here are a few tips to get you started…

First of all, you need to understand the root cause of your stress, or at least the most important one. So spend a little time analyzing your feelings and identify your main problem.

If possible, talk to someone close to you about it… sharing the problem will relieve some if the stress you are feeling, and in some cases, they may be able to help you with it. You may find that just “getting it off your chest” will make you feel a whole lot better, and two heads can often be better than one.

Go for a brisk walk… The exercise itself will stimulate you and help you think more clearly. It will also lift your spirits as the adrenalin starts to pump through your body, and you may come up with ideas that hadn’t previously occurred to you.

Try to view your situation with “your glass half-full”… That is, be aware that you can actually subconsciously talk yourself into stress or depression by thinking the worst of any situation. So, look for the positives, and try to build on them.

Don’t be afraid of helping others… Quite often assisting others in times of stress can improve your personal outlook on life, even if it’s only because somebody else might be worse off than you. Aside from that, by helping others your are less likely to be solely focused on your own problems.

Do something different… If time and means permit, go and do something that you normally wouldn’t… Even if it’s just a day out somewhere, a game of golf perhaps, or anything that you fancy doing, but never seem to get around to, take some time to enjoy yourself.

Ok, these tips on their own won’t magically eliminate your stress completely and solve all your problems… But they will put you on the road to dealing with stress more effectively and reduce the risk of serious illness. Don’t ignore stress and find out the hard way!

Learn more about how you can help yourself to overcome stress.

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