Stress is a very uncomfortable, but inevitable part of our lives. No matter what, stress always seems to sneak in to disrupt the flow of life and it can be very frustrating.
For me, when I get stressed out, I have a very hard time getting myself back on track. I seem to get caught up in the overwhelm that comes with stress and it’s very frustrating trying to get myself back to where I was before.
Now, more than ever, we are all stressed for various reasons. 2020 has brought on so many stressors for everyone. No matter what the reason is that brought you to reading this post, I want you to know that you are absolutely not alone. Often, these times can feel very isolating, but it doesn’t have to feel that way.
If you are finding yourself stressed out and searching for ways to get yourself back to feeling like you have more control, this post is for you! I’m the queen of getting stressed out & over the years, I have learned some very helpful tips that I hope you will find helpful!
Here are my tips for helping you work through the stress in your life!
PIN NOW, READ LATER!
LISTEN TO YOUR MIND & BODY. ALLOW YOURSELF TO SLOW DOWN.
Here’s the thing, nothing good ever comes from forcing yourself to try being productive and working through extreme exhaustion. It is always very important to make sure that you are listening to both your mind & body because they will both tell you what you need. If you continue ignoring the triggers & signs from your mind & body, you will only continue moving further & further downhill.
Related: How slowing down & taking time off can change everything / Signs you need to take a break, How unplugging can change your life
It may be hard to see right now, but forcing yourself to continue overworking yourself is only going cause more damage. If you can’t seem to get a hold on your stress, it might be a good idea to allow yourself to take a break. Taking a break can even lead you to being more productive because you are allowing yourself to take the necessary break. Check out the other blog posts listed above for even more information on the importance of giving yourself a break. <3
JOURNAL & WRITE DOWN WHAT IS GOING ON.
When we are stressed, often things don’t really make sense in our minds. There’s so much conflicting information trying to be processed in your mind but it’s too overwhelming, ultimately making you feel even more stressed.
If you haven’t journaled before or you haven’t done it in a while, you might have a hard time getting yourself to figure out what to write about.
I would start with:
- What is stressing me out right now?
- Why am I feeling stressed?
- What do I feel like I need right now?
>> For even more information & guidance, check out my post on The Power of Journaling & download my free 50 journal prompts for self reflection & self discovery!
Ultimately, it’s important to get to the root of everything and allow yourself to really dig deep and understand what is going on. I personally find journaling to be very therapeutic because it allows me to get everything out of my head and onto paper. Sometimes when I have a lot going on in my mind, I end up writing several pages but I always feel so much better after getting it all out!
You have to allow yourself to slow down & process the stressor(s) before anything else!
ALLOW YOURSELF TO RELEASE YOUR EMOTIONS.
In creating awareness around your stress & processing everything, it will probably bring up a lot of uncomfortable emotions. It’s very important to allow yourself to release those emotions, rather than trying to suppress them.
This can bring up feelings of anger, sadness, frustration, etc. Cry if you feel like you need to, scream into a pillow, do whatever you need to do to allow yourself to feel the emotions & release them. These emotions are totally normal and ignoring them will only make things work.
Whatever you are going through, it is completely understandable why you are feeling this way. It is not a sign of weakness. Don’t beat yourself up over having these feelings. Allow yourself to go through the whole process of getting through this.
If you are feeling like you need a little extra support, I do offer 1:1 Mindset & Confidence Coaching and invite you to check out my opportunities if that is something that you would be interested in. Click here for more information on my 1:1 coaching opportunities! <3
Related: How to know if it’s time to hire a life coach
Oh, by the way, I promise, you WILL get through this!
INCORPORATE HEALTHY HABITS.
When stress sneaks into our lives, the first thing to be put on the back burner is almost always self care & healthy habits. Even though those things are the most important, especially during stressful times, they always get shoved to the side.
- All we want to eat is comfort food (aka junk food)
- We feel like just laying on the couch because we have very low energy from the stress
- We are too tired to do simple things like wash our face before bed or do any usual prepping the night before
- Things start getting unorganized due to lack of motivation & energy to get things done
Do you see how neglecting healthy habits can really make things spiral out of control? One thing leads to another and you end up feeling like you have completely lost control of things. Which ultimately makes you feel even more stressed because now you feel like you have even more things to figure out.
Related: 5 Steps For Getting Back On Track & Shifting Your Mindset, Getting Over Extreme Burnout, A step-by-step guide to getting your motivation back
Maybe you aren’t at that point yet, but if you don’t start incorporating healthy habits & self care routines into your lifestyle, things will start down that path & eventually get to that point. Plus, taking care of yourself will start making you feel better overall.
>> For more information & guidance, check out my post on Developing a self care routine that works for you & make sure you download my free self care planning worksheet!
Healthy habits to start incorporating:
- Exercise- even if it’s getting outside and going on a short walk. Get up and start moving!
- Eat healthy foods- If your diet has turned into high sugar, high sodium, high refined carbs (pasta, breads, etc), you are really going to feel sluggish & it’s going to influence your overall mood. Make sure you are getting in your fruits & veggies!
- Drink lots of water
- Journaling
- Meditation
- Create routines
DON’T PUT UNNECESSARY PRESSURE ON YOURSELF. TAKE IT A DAY AT A TIME.
It’s very understandable to feel like you want things to go back to feeling normal ASAP! But, you don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on yourself because that is only going to make you feel even more stressed out.
Related: How to improve your mindset
Seriously, take it a day at a time. Choose little things to work on each day, even each week. Things might seem crazy right now, but I promise that taking it day by day is going to be very helpful in the long run!
To recap:
- Listen to your body & allow yourself to slow down if you are feeling overly overwhelmed & exhausted
- Journal about what is going on- get it all out of your head and onto paper!
- Allow yourself to release any emotions that come up. Suppressing them is only going to make things worse
- Make sure you start incorporating self care & healthy habits because nothing is going to start coming together without it
- Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself, give it a day at a time
If you want even more guidance for dealing with stress, make sure you download my Handling Stress & Overwhelm guide to help you get through stressful times! It’s a guide to keep in your back pocket whenever you need it. <3
Reminder that I do offer 1:1 Mindset & Confidence Coaching if you are needing some extra support. Click here for more information on my 1:1 coaching opportunities!
>> click here to download my 5 tips for crushing your goals
>> click here to download my self care planning worksheet
>> click here to download my 50 journal prompts for self reflection & self discovery
Xx,
Jess
