Life is all about ups & downs, it never a smooth ride from start to finish. While highs in life are the easy ones, it is the downs that trouble most of us. Moreover, the stress associated with difficult times can be most daunting & can impact our lives permanently. In this article, I will pen down a few points that I personally practice to help deal with the stress.
- Be grateful. When you’re plagued by worries and uncertainty, it’s easy to focus all your attention on the negatives alone. While you don’t have to ignore reality and pretend everything’s fine, you can take a moment to appreciate a close relationship you share, the beauty of a sunset, or the love of a pet, for example.
Focusing on the good and being grateful will give your mind a break from the constant worrying, help boost your mood, and ease your stress.
- Practice a relaxation technique. Invest time to relax each day and give your mind a break from the constant worrying. Meditating, breathing exercises, or other relaxation techniques are excellent ways to relieve stress and restore some balance to your life. Early morning is best suited for this, as it will set your day on a relaxed note.
- Break the thought pattern. Constant worrying is tiring & worse it the one down a spiral of negative imaginations which may not even occur ever. When in a situation like this, be mindful to break your thought pattern. Listen to music, cook, or do anything productive that will require your attention & break your negative thought pattern.
- Get active. A little regular exercise can help ease stress, boost your mood and energy, and improve your self-esteem as well. Aim for 30 minutes on most days, broken up into short 10-minute bursts if that’s easier. But get into a routine that you will easily follow for 7 days in a row without any external motivation or push.
- Sleep well. Sleep is therapeutic, it is the natural mechanism of our body to heal. Inadequate sleep patterns will make you feel more tired will only increase your stress and negative thought patterns. Finding ways to improve your sleep during this difficult time will help both your mind and body.
- Eat healthily. A healthy balanced diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and omega-3s can help support your mood and improve your energy and outlook. And you don’t have to spend a fortune; there are ways to eat a well-balanced diet on a budget too. As a thumb rule, don’t eat till you are full & don’t eat too much of any one particular type of food, even if it’s your favorite. If possible, let your meal be “colorful” what I mean is it has to be a combination of a variety of foods that have different colors.
The current COVID times are overwhelming for everyone across the globe. Whatever your circumstances are, there are ways to get through these tough times, ease stress and anxiety, and regain control of your life. Until next stay safe & stay positive.