Automatic Stress Relief

Wouldn't it be great if there was a stress relief vitamin that we could take every morning - something that would make the day easier to handle? It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and start to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, burned-out, and fed up.

Stress is caused by a lot of things. Exercise, eating right, enough sleep, even vitamins are a part of coping with our modern fast-paced life. But sometimes it's more than that, it's the way your life is functioning.

By changing a few things, you can create automatic stress relief. If you do just one of these things, it will make a big difference in your daily stress levels.

Think Like A Teenager
Stress often shows up in thoughts long before your neck and back hurt or you lay on the horn out of frustration of the slow turner at the traffic light. So creating thoughts that make you feel less stress is step one. Positive Psychology research has shown that just the anticipation of something good to come -- whether it's a big deal or just a shopping trip with a friend -- is enough to trigger the happiness hormone in your brain. By "think like a teenager", what I'm suggesting here is to remember how as a young adult you were able to think and look ahead to the next big date, next new outfit, next time with friends. It's vital to have something in your schedule that you are looking forward to. And that's automatic stress relief.

Get Into The Present
A huge cause of stress in your life is the unfinished things that come back to haunt you -- from having to iron because you left your slacks in the dryer, to rushing to finish something for the boss. It's not all the things you have to get done, but instead what's left undone or unsaid or unfinished in your life. Decide what needs to be done, and either delegate it, do it, or decide to dump it. But in order to stay in the present and not slide back into the unfinished past, also begin to work towards completing things every day - a load of laundry, a project for the boss, deciding on a contractor - whatever! Visible results create automatic stress relief.

Bring Back Integrity
Stress starts when you first open your eyes in the morning if you are living with something you know is an error in judgment. Did you get locked into a mortgage that's too high and it straps your budget each month? Do you have relationship problems that need counseling? Are you trying to do it all and are simply overloaded with responsibility and not asking for help? Do you have a goal that just no longer excites you, but you're afraid to admit it to other people? Be honest. Be authentic. Be willing to be honest with yourself and with other people it affects. Admit the mistake, make restitution if necessary, forgive yourself, and move to the freer side of life. No more stress!

Relief is within your reach every single day! By practicing just one of these things, you'll feel more optimistic and self confident about coping with the daily stressors that are likely to show up.