There are many ways that will help you live a better life. Exercise, diet, good relationships and many more things will lead to a great life. The problem usually with most people though is stress.
If we could reduce the amount of stress in our lives or at least find better coping mechanisms then we would all be a lot happier and fulfilled
Here are some great tips to reduce and handle stress better to have a happier and healthier life.
1. When feeling stressed, most people tend to breathe in short, shallow breaths. When you breathe like this, stale air is not expelled, oxidation of the tissues is incomplete, and muscle tension frequently results. Check your breathing throughout the day, and before, during, and after high-pressure situations. If you find your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax all your muscles and take several deep, slow breaths. Note how, when you’re relaxed, both your abdomen and chest expand when you breathe.
2. Writing your thoughts and feelings down (in a journal, or on paper to be thrown away) can help you clarify things and can give you a renewed perspective.
3. Try the following yoga technique whenever you feel the need to relax. Inhale deeply through you nose to the count of eight. Then, with lips puckered, exhale very slowly through your mouth to the count of 16, or for as long as you can. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension dissolve. Repeat 10 times.
4. Inoculate yourself against a feared event. Example: before speaking in public, take time to go over every part of the experience in your mind. Imagine what you’ll wear, what the audience will look like, how you will present your talk, what the questions will be and how you will answer them, etc. Visualize the experience the way you would have it be. You’ll likely find that when the time comes to make the actual presentation, it will be “old hat” and much of your anxiety will have fled.
5. When the stress of having to get a job done gets in the way of getting the job done, diversion ‘ a voluntary change in activity and/or environment ‘ may be just what you need.
6. Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion so you can concentrate on problem solving.
7. One of the most obvious ways to avoid unnecessary stress is to select an environment (work, home, leisure) which is in line with your personal needs and desires. If you hate desk jobs, don’t accept a job which requires that you sit at a desk all day. If you hate to talk politics, don’t associate with people who love to talk politics, etc.
8. Learn to live one day at a time.
9. Every day, do something you really enjoy.
10. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.
11. Take a hot bath or shower (or a cool one in summertime) to relieve tension.
12. Do something for somebody else.
13. Focus on understanding rather than on being understood; on loving rather than on being loved.
14. Do something that will improve your appearance. Looking better can help you feel better.
15. Schedule a realistic day. Avoid the tendency to schedule back-to-back appointments; allow time between appointments for a breathing spell
16. Become more flexible. Some things are worth not doing perfectly and some issues are well to compromise upon.
17. Eliminate destructive self-talk: “I’m too old to,” “I’m too fat to,” etc.
18. Use your weekend time for a change of pace. If you work week is slow and patterned, make sure there is action and time for spontaneity built into your weekends. If your work week is fast-paced and full of people and deadlines, seek peace and solitude during your days off. Feel as if you aren’t accomplishing anything at work’ Tackle a job on the weekend which you can finish to your satisfaction.
19. “Worry about the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.” That’s another way of saying: take care of the today’s as best you can and the yesterdays and the tomorrows will take care of themselves.
20. Do one thing at a time. When you are with someone, be with that person and with no one or nothing else. When you are busy with a project, concentrate on doing that project and forget about everything else you have to do.
21. Allow yourself time everyday for privacy, quiet, and introspection.
22. If an especially unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with; then the rest of your day will be free of anxiety.
23. Learn to delegate responsibility to capable others.
24. Don’t forget to take a lunch break. Try to get away from your desk or work area in body and mind, even if it’s just for 15 or 20 minutes.
25. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing something or saying anything that could make matters worse.
And now just a couple more!
26. Have a forgiving view of events and people. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world.
27. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.
How about you? I bet you have a lot of great coping mechanisms for stress that you use at times and just simply forget. Try to start living your life for today and making sure that you don’t compound problems when they just aren’t as bad as you are worried they could get.
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