Stress, stress. We all have experienced it, but why? Why can’t we better control our stress? When we have stress, it makes us really upset and it is the way the body responds to challenges in our environment. A 2022 study out of Yale University found that chronic stress actually makes us age faster at the cellular level and can shorten our lifespan.
So why do we worry? Studies have shown that worrying actually can shorten our life by about seven years. So why do we take all of this time to worry? I know in my own life things I worry about, the worrying never made things better. So what can we do when we have stress? We need to press the pause button and take an honest look at our day-to-day life and say, what can I do about the problem in front of me?
Try to take proactive measures to solve it rather than worrying about it. But some people don’t want to take stock of controlling their stress or anxiety. They rather just worry, worry, worry. We all know the people who come by our desks at work, family members who call us all the time, and they’re worrying, worrying. So help them to press the pause button and take an honest look at their day-to-day life and realize that they are putting too much time into stress.
The second thing we can also consider about dealing with stress is that having valuable, strong, good people around us, being around people you can trust, can calm your body and your mind. But when these people come by your desk that are adding to your stress, tell them today you want a stress-free day and to move on. But what can you do about your stress? You can practice meditation.
Meditation can help to relieve anxiety and also help to lower blood pressure. With regular practice or meditation, you can become less stressed. So what we need to do this year as we talk about our goals, make yourself a major priority. Put yourself at the front of the line and practice good self-care by hitting the pause button and taking care of your mental and physical well-being.
Good self-care can help you become more resilient. How do we do that? Sleeping. We need to have anywhere from seven to nine hours a night sleeping. If you are getting less than that, it may be putting more stress on your body. So in the evening, turn off your phone, listen to some relaxing music, take a bubble bath, watch a soothing or a good television program, and sometimes regular exercise can be a good measure that you can use to relieve your stress.
And in fact, in the end if you see that you are very stressed, there is nothing wrong in seeking professional help to help you get a strategy for coping.
