The most important lesson to learn in life (at least one of them) is how to manage stress. Stress has the power to create bad cells in your body and take years off your life – that’s why it’s important to learn how to manage it. I was inspired to write this article because I was recently treated poorly by someone who was clearly under a lot of stress. They were overwhelmed and instead of dealing with it in a healthy way they decided to take it out on others. If your body stays in a stressed state long enough, eventually it will manifest into physical health issues. Not to mention the toll it can have on the friendships and relationships in your life.
Mismanaged stress can cause you to be short-tempered with people, not be able to sleep well, even want to wish ill amongst someone else- and no one wants to be around someone like that; so, don’t be this person and continue reading.
I believe that one of my biggest flexes in life is that I am the best I’ve ever been at managing stress. It no longer controls my actions or emotions and no matter what, I have the great ability to stay calm. Don’t get it twisted because I wasn’t always this way, in fact for most of my life I was completely the opposite- a hot-headed young adult that was mad at the world. So, what I’m saying is that if I learned how to deal with it, then you can too.
You need to develop healthy methods to deal with stress, but before the methods you need to be able to recognize and acknowledge when you are getting stressed. Most people don’t even know how much stress their body is under until they burnout or worse, get sick. Your health (mental, emotional, physical) is number 1 priority and nothing else exists without it. Recognizing your triggers, and when you are becoming stressed will take practice. You must be conscious in the moment and even sit with the uncomfortable feeling. The good news is once you recognize this – you can now apply one of the healthy methods to deal with it and start feeling better.
These are the 3 strongest methods that have worked for me:
1. Support System (People)
A support system of people that you can physically talk to whether it is a best friend, family member, co-worker, team member, therapist, etc. It’s important to process what you are feeling out loud. Speaking about your problems is nothing to be embarrassed about, your vulnerability is truly a superpower, and this is an emotional support method. You might be surprised at how many others are struggling with a similar issue, which could help you feel less alone.
2. Support System (Hobbies, Habits)
A support system of hobbies or healthy habits can be the difference between letting the stress consume you or dissolving it. Hobbies – painting, writing, sports, working out, literally anything can be a hobby, do what brings you joy no matter how long your to-do list is. Trust me, you will end up being more productive if you take a break with something that brings you joy. Habits – clean your space, take a shower, get a pedicure, stop procrastinating, whatever your long term goal is, your habits should be what is going to get you there. So even if you are stressed about not being where you want to be yet in life, at the end of the day you know you are one day closer because of your habits.
3. The Universe (My personal favourite and one I will use until the day I die)
Whether you are meditating, praying, journaling, dancing, or just talking out loud, the universe is always listening. This is universal support. You will never truly know how much the universe supports you and wants you to succeed until you ask for help. This journey is far more spiritual than you may realize.
Most importantly, show yourself grace, empathy, and compassion. Life is filled with struggles and hardships and yet you are strong enough to handle them all. Be your own cheerleader, be your greatest love, no matter what – always be kind to yourself.
With love,
Jessie
The Malleable Path.