If you are waging a losing battle with stress and are looking for relief, then spend a few minutes to read this article.
Stress is one of the major afflictions of today’s modern age. In the U.S., surveys at the American Psychological Association and the American Institute of Stress reveal that 54 percent of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday lives, and that 62 percent say that work has a significant impact on stress levels.
Meanwhile ,experts at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have found that:
- stress is linked to physical and mental health;
- job burn out by 25% to 40% of US workers are stress related;
- depression, a major form of stress, is predicted to be the leading occupational disease of the 21st century.
Against this backdrop, ask yourself: When you are under stress where can you feel it the most? Of course it can manifest itself in other ways like joint or muscle pains, diarrhea, colds, flu, etc., but stop and think, where does it all start? In the mind, first and foremost.
So what is the strategy for beating stress? Beat it at the source!
If stress starts in the mind, then the approach is straightforward and simple. It has to do with a mind changing attitude- a positive mental attitude, to be precise.
This is easier said than done, especially if you have been used to thinking negatively or harboring negative emotions such as irritation, frustration, impatience, anxiety, worries, etc. You must turn around and think the other way. You have to condition, to train, and to discipline the mind to think positively!!
As a simple starting exercise; when you see a glass half filled with water- how do you see it?
- the glass is half empty (NEGATIVE!)
- the glass is half full (POSITIVE!)
It’s as simple as that. When you think positively, it eases up and removes your tensions.
No dangerous toxins are produced. It promotes well being of mind and body. It’s true! How you think will greatly influence your physical condition.
With that in mind (no pun intended), here are practical ways for adopting the positive approach to life’s everyday situations and therefore beating stress at the source:
1. Start the day relaxed. Take the time to appreciate Mother Nature. People are physical beings and are designed to commune with physical, earthly things. Admire the sunshine, the chirping of birds, the soft breeze, and the cold of the early morning. If these are absent in your environment, and you have the means, try to move to such a location.
Don’t be like everyone else who seems to be in a constant state of rush, rush, rush! As one sage once put it, it is just chasing after the wind.
Don’t fall into that trap. Smile to your family. Greet them “GOOD MORNING!” with joy in your heart that you are alive to experience the gift of life for yet another day.
2. Develop your sense of humor. Try to read good jokes. Learn to laugh at yourself. Try not to be too serious all the time. In case you didn’t know, laughter produces beneficial substances that promote good health for your body.
3. Listen to some sweet or easy listening music. Wean yourself away from the heavy, throbbing, chest thumping, and loud variety for a change. Loud music only accelerates your heartbeat, and increases your blood pressure- probably will damage your eardrums too, in due time.
4. Think happy thoughts. See the positive in every situation. Consider this real life example. A fellow was at the bank the other day. And there were more people than he initially thought. That means he has to stay a bit longer than he anticipated. Did he fume, did he fret, and did he get frustrated? No. He tried to see the positive. It was a cold autumn afternoon. Good! That means he gets to stay in a warm place and catch up on some reading too! So he didn’t feel it was a waste of time. See? Be positive!
Whenever some things or situations irritate you, always try to look at them in a positive way.
5. Don’t compare yourself with others. Two things will happen if you do: either you will feel vain (if you are better off than they are) or you will feel miserable (if they are better off than you are). Being content with one’s circumstance is great gain.
6. Stop worrying. If you are short, do you think you will gain an inch of added height if you thought and fretted about it? Of course not! So why worry? If you have problems, surely there are ways to tackle them, but worrying is not one of them.
7. Take deep breaths. This will give your body a rich supply of tension relieving oxygen.
8. End the day relaxed. Think on the day’s events. How did they go? Were you successful in your efforts to discipline your mind to be positive? If you did not do well, just tell yourself you will do better next time. Always be positive. Be thankful for everything. Say good night and “I love you” to your family to end the day.
Have a nice stress free day!
