What symptoms do you exhibit when stressed? How do they show up for you?
Often stress shows up in a wide variety of ways… physical, mental and emotional.
- Physical signs are headaches, muscle tension, upset stomach, restless sleep, shaky/sweaty hands, fidgeting.
- Mental signs are easily distracted/inability to focus, more forgetful, exaggerated issues, increased dreaming.
- Emotional signs are irritability, short temper, exhaustion, paralyzation/stuck, inability to make decisions.
How can you relieve or reduce your stress?
TIP #1 – Take Charge. When you feel in control you can RESPOND rather than REACT to your environment. You feel more empowered and better able to manage what comes your way. Begin by looking at what you can control and what you cannot.
- List the things I control in my life.
- List the things that are TRULY out of my control.
- What is my attitude towards the things I control? Toward the things I don’t?
- What stresses can I say no to, eliminate, reduce or delegate in my life?
- What can I add into my life that will counteract stress? (meditation, work out, etc.)
- What positive people do I want in my life to support me?
- What negative people do I need to spend less time with?
- What is most important?
- Make a list, prioritize, and commit to remove one thing a day!
TIP #2 – Incorporate Exercise.
Regular exercise is one of the best stress reduction techniques out there. It has multiple stress relieving benefits:
- IMPROVED HEALTH: “exercise adds life to your years as well as years to your life” through lowered heart rate and reduced risk of heart disease, may prevent certain types of cancer, increase stamina, etc.
- IMPROVED MOOD: exercising causes the brain to release opium-like substances which ease pain and produce a natural high – a sense of well being and comfort. It also stimulates the brain to secrete serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrines which act as antidepressants and improves mood (deficiencies can result in depression, anxiety, impulsiveness, aggression & increased appetite)
- REDUCES BODY TENSION: exercise helps relieve pent-up emotions we hold in our muscles – which a relaxed body allows you to sleep better, have more energy, enhance concentration and memory, quicken your alertness and reaction time, all resulting over-all feeling of well-being.
Christy Geiger, Executive Business Coach & Trainer, Minneapolis, MN
