Coping With Stress

In the following video clip, I discuss some of the dynamics of stress and explore six ideas that can help you cope positively with stress.......

1. Sense the level of muscle tension within your body, because this can be a barometer to your stress level ....... By letting go of muscle tension and taking some slow, deep breaths, you will relax the body and begin to feel a sense of calmness return
2. Anxious thoughts and negative thinking can be a cause of stress ....... If we worry too much about the future, or dwell upon negative events and disappointments from our past, then we can become stressed. So learn to control your thoughts
3. Relax regularly - find out what works best for you. Whether it is going for a walk in the park at lunchtime, listening to particular music, having a nice hot bath at the end of the day, or a massage to relieve some of the physical tension - do it regularly and without guilt
4. Energy levels can be an indicator to stress levels. Fatigue, lethargy and low energy can often indicate that stress is becoming a problem
5. Self-expectations that are unreasonably high will create stress. A person who believes they must be perfect at everything they do will create stress for themselves. By managing both your own expectations and those of others, and ensuring they are realistic will help to prevent unnecessary stress.
6. Support and help should be sought when you are struggling with too much stress. Open up to the people around you who care for you, rather than bottling up your concerns and anxieties.Keeping your worries, guilt or fear locked inside of you can become toxic, so talk to the people you trust and sometimes you will find that either you get some good advice - or at least you feel better for having talked about it.