In times of doubt don't freak out.

In my quest for the happiest life I can lead I try not to let little things stress me out. When I say try, I really mean I have to actually work at it. My first natural response to a negative or difficult situation is to internally freak out. By that I mean by brain scrambles around thinking of the worst possible scenarios. I tither on the edge of the rabbit hole of self-doubt trying to perform a balancing act not letting myself fall in all whilst feeling my stress levels raging up inside me.

I have, during this journey of self-discovery improved immensely with dealing with perceived stressful situations but from time to time it gets the better of me and I forget momentarily who I am and what is important to me.

I am writing this post to make people aware, if you are, like me, a natural worrier that you are not alone and there are steps you can take to remedy your worrisome thoughts.

Who are you?

The biggest and most important thing to remember is who you are. Did you ever really think about that? Who are you? I am a daughter, a girlfriend, an employee, a friend, a sister and an aunt. I am kind, funny loyal, generous and thoughtful. I was not and neither were you, not put on this earth to worry and stress about trivial things and most importantly I am equal to all others regardless of race, wealth or social standing. I find that remembering who I am, who I really am, helps me recover quickly from stressful situations and people and brings with it clarity about what is really important.

Will this matter in 5 years?

Very simple question when you find yourself stressed. Will this matter in 5 years? Mostly the answer is no, if the answer is no then minimal stress is warranted.

Check your breathing

When a person is under stress, their breathing pattern changes. Take long slow breaths, this will calm your nervous system, relaxing your body and enabling you to think more clearly.

Talk to someone.

Talking a problem out will always help you, even if no solution can be found you will feel instantly better just speaking to a loved one about it.

Meditation

Taking some time out of your busy mind by meditating will enable you to relax and think more clearly about the matter at hand. Even a few minutes of meditation can have huge benefits, even more so if you practice it more often.

Have a dance party

Turn up your music and dance around your bedroom. Honestly try it and watch your stress disappear. My favorite tune to do this to is Florence and the Machine, Shake It Out. In fact here is a link to it https://youtu.be/WbN0nX61rIs.

Hopefully some of these tips will come in handy next time you feel stressed. If you want to add some of your own, head over to my Facebook page and leave a comment.

Aisling

xoxo