Top Ten Habits that Help You Manage Your Stress

Today we have more stress in our lives than ever before – good stress, bad stress, red stress, blue stress (my little ode to Dr. Seuss). No matter what kind of stress it is, a real crisis or an imagined one, stress is incredibly harmful to our body, mind and soul.nnHere are my favourite self-care habits for dealing with stress:nn1. Get in the habit of noticing.nnTake an inventory of all the things that just don't feel right in your life or that you know are causing you stress. For example, when you approach certain people, places or situations do you feel more stress and tension? Once you have your list in place, look at what you can change yourself, and do it. You can also use this list to predict stressful situations before they occur.nn2. Get in the habit of asking for help.nnFor what you can't change yourself, you need a team. Build anteam of experts to handle your list. A coach, at the top of the list, will help with the big picture and will keep you honest about your efforts. Other team members might be a family doctor who listens to you, a financial planner, a massage therapist and an exercise partner.nn3. Get in the habit of bouncing back.nnThink of Plan A as your basic self-care plan while stress isnunder control. Now imagine something happens and you are under stress. Instead of abandoning all self-care because you can't do it all, have a Plan B ready beforehand. nn4. Get in the habit of relaxing.nnIf you practice relaxation techniques (breathing, meditation, imagery, music) every day, then when stressful situations come up you'll have the tools at your fingertips.nn5. Get in the habit of gratitude. nnOur attitude comes from our emotions and our emotions come from our thoughts. Thinking about what we're grateful for and what we're good at can keep things positive. It's not about shying away from what's challenging you – it's about approaching life from a place of strength and not as a victim.nn6. Get in the habit of creating.nnExperiment with a new recipe in the kitchen, write a poem, bang a drum, do a craft, take a dance class or do something else that feels creative to you.nn7. Get in the habit of putting your stuff away.nnPhysical clutter can really impact on mental, emotional and physical health. Get rid of things that don't make you happynwhen you look at them. Organize your stuff. Find a place forneverything and keep it there.nn8. Get in the habit of breathing.nnThis is the simplest and quickest way to relax yourself in anstressful situation. The minute you focus on your breathing it automatically gets slower and deeper. nn9. Get in the habit of daydreaming.nnTake yourself away on an imaginary holiday. Just close your eyes and go! Picture somewhere you've been or somewhere you've dreamed of.nn10. Get in the habit of giggling.nnLaugh out loud every day.nnDon't let your stress get the better of you! Which one of these strategies can you apply this week to manage your stress?n