Are You Managing Your Stress?

It is estimated that over 70% of Americans deal with some type of stress whether it be physical or psychological. Most of the time we simply want it to go away without looking at the root cause behind it.

So, what is behind the stress in your life? It can show up in any number of things including: marriage & family, relationships, finances, career, and health. It’s essential that we learn how to manage it, or it will destroy us.

I believe that stress is one of those things that you sometimes don’t realize is really affecting you until you end up in the ER. People even miss the early warning signs because no one ever thinks that something bad could happen to them.

But, before we talk about managing stress, let’s talk about avoiding it as much as possible. This may seem simplistic, but I think that some stress could be avoided by recognizing your trouble spots.

What are your triggers? Is it your home life, outside relationships, job, or your health?

Pick one area to work on at a time, and see if you can think of what it would take to improve the situation there. Look for the easy things that you could do immediately to alleviate some of the pressure.

Start with your homelife because that’s where your day begins. If it doesn’t start well, things are likely to get worse. What can you do to improve things at home? If there’s family strife, you may need some outside intervention from a counselor. If your home needs some organization, get a friend to help you or hire someone.

A lot of people experience stress at work, yet I think many bring their stress from home, and it just gets worse on the job. Possibly, things at work might improve when your homelife is in order.

Do your very best at work regardless of what others are doing. If it’s still a struggle, consider finding a different job where you can excel.

Keep working through each of the areas in your life where you are dealing with stress, and be willing to get help. There are many public and charitable services available to give assistance to those in need. Be open and honest with how things are going. There’s no shame in needing help, only in refusing it.

So, what if you’re struggling with stress that’s totally out of your control? Maybe, you’ve lost your job through no fault of your own, or illness has struck you or a family member. You may not be able to fix those circumstances, but you can control how you handle them.

Here again, you may need outside help from a local church, support group, or an agency that specializes in your problem. Seeking out spiritual help can help you through the uncertainty and confusion. Open up to trusted friends and family about your situation. Often when people are going through a difficult time, they avoid the very people that could give them support. Don’t do that!

Finally, find ways to take care of yourself, get plenty of rest, plan and eat healthy meals. Poor eating will only make the stress worse and lead to depression. Limit the amount of time you spend with people who make you feel stressful or put you down.

We can’t take all stress out of our life. It will happen, but we need to avoid causing as much as possible, and then do our best to deal productively with the inevitable difficulties that come our way.

Check out my latest Facebook Live, https://www.facebook.com/CoachMaggie4Health/ to get tips on developing a stress-free morning routine to start your day on the right foot.

What’s one area that you can start working on right away? Let a friend know, and be willing to ask for help. This is not one road you want to travel alone.

Do you know someone who needs to hear these words? Share it with them. How do you manage stress? Leave a comment.

To your health & wellness,

Coach Maggie