Stress Management
WHAT IS STRESS RESILIENCE?
The American Psychological Institute defines resilience as, “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress...”
The American Psychological Institute defines resilience as, “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress...”
We agree — not all stress is bad — it’s the way you respond that’s important. It’s not about learning how to grin-and-bear-it or simply push-through the difficult moments in your life. Resilience is about learning to become aware of what stress feels like in your mental and physical body, so you can skillfully manage your relationship to it.
When you are able to manage your relationship to stress effectively, short-term stressors can actually help you to develop a physical and psychological resiliency that allows you to cope with stressful moments with more ease, which can often lead to profound personal growth. Increasing your awareness of how stress effects you will also help you to make decisions that are better aligned to your long-term health and happiness.
Implementing the following self-care practices, may help to build resilience:
1.GET ENOUGH SLEEP.
Getting enough sleep positively affects every single cell and function in your body. It is one of the best ways you can increase your resiliency to stress. Adults typically need between 8-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
Getting enough sleep positively affects every single cell and function in your body. It is one of the best ways you can increase your resiliency to stress. Adults typically need between 8-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
2. MOVE MORE.
Movement is essential to feeling and functioning at your best. Research shows that you need thirty or more minutes of exercise everyday. If you can’t fit thirty minutes into your daily schedule know that literally every minute contributes to better health and wellness, so if you can only walk for five minutes, it’s worth it.
Movement is essential to feeling and functioning at your best. Research shows that you need thirty or more minutes of exercise everyday. If you can’t fit thirty minutes into your daily schedule know that literally every minute contributes to better health and wellness, so if you can only walk for five minutes, it’s worth it.
3. EAT HEALTHY.
Fueling your body with the right foods helps to counter the impact of less active lifestyles, lower your chances of developing cancer, and improves your heart and brain health.
Fueling your body with the right foods helps to counter the impact of less active lifestyles, lower your chances of developing cancer, and improves your heart and brain health.
4. SPEND TIME IN NATURE.
Research shows that spending time in nature —even as little as ten minutes — decreases the body’s response to stress. It helps to lower your cortisol levels, decrease your blood pressure and heart rate, and can even help to boost your mood and focus.
Research shows that spending time in nature —even as little as ten minutes — decreases the body’s response to stress. It helps to lower your cortisol levels, decrease your blood pressure and heart rate, and can even help to boost your mood and focus.
5.INVEST IN YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK.
Living a happier, healthier, more resilient life isn’t just about making sure you eat the right foods and move your body more. It’s also about investing your time and energy into meaningful experiences and friendships. Spending time with friends and family who help to lift you up not only gives you mental support during difficult periods, but gives you the opportunity offer that same social support for others as well.
Living a happier, healthier, more resilient life isn’t just about making sure you eat the right foods and move your body more. It’s also about investing your time and energy into meaningful experiences and friendships. Spending time with friends and family who help to lift you up not only gives you mental support during difficult periods, but gives you the opportunity offer that same social support for others as well.
6.GET YOUR DAILY DOSE OF FUN.
When you’re happy you’re more productive, more creative, and more collaborative. It’s important to take time to process difficult emotions, make time to be quiet and still, listen to good music, spend time with friends, get lost in an art project, or play some video games. These things help to counter the stress of your everyday lives and help to leave you feeling refreshed.
When you’re happy you’re more productive, more creative, and more collaborative. It’s important to take time to process difficult emotions, make time to be quiet and still, listen to good music, spend time with friends, get lost in an art project, or play some video games. These things help to counter the stress of your everyday lives and help to leave you feeling refreshed.
7.SIMPLIFY.
Outer chaos often mirrors inner chaos you may be experiencing. Physical clutter leads to decision fatigue, which take a toll on willpower and your ability to make good decisions. By reducing the number of items you have to think or deal with, you reduce the static in the background of your brain. That makes it easier to respond to bigger, more important stressors that may come along.
Outer chaos often mirrors inner chaos you may be experiencing. Physical clutter leads to decision fatigue, which take a toll on willpower and your ability to make good decisions. By reducing the number of items you have to think or deal with, you reduce the static in the background of your brain. That makes it easier to respond to bigger, more important stressors that may come along.
8.PRACTICE GRATITUDE.
Starting a daily gratitude practice is a great way to help you to begin scanning your environment for all the things that are going well. Research shows you are better able to make changes when you are happy and you use words of encouragement instead of criticism. A daily gratitude practice can also improve your mental and physical health.
9.DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE.
Everyone — yes everyone — has a purpose. If you don’t know what yours is yet, your purpose is to allow for the space and time for you to find your purpose. Remember you are extremely valuable, worthy, and have so many skills to share. Your purpose may shift or change overtime, but you will never lose having a purpose.
Everyone — yes everyone — has a purpose. If you don’t know what yours is yet, your purpose is to allow for the space and time for you to find your purpose. Remember you are extremely valuable, worthy, and have so many skills to share. Your purpose may shift or change overtime, but you will never lose having a purpose.
10. MEDITATE
A daily meditation practice literally helps you to re-wire your brain, so you’ll feel more at-ease, present, and connected. Meditation is an effective way to learn how to separate thoughts and emotions in order to reduce anxiety, depression, the effects of stress and build resilience. One or two minutes of meditation each day can make a huge difference.
A daily meditation practice literally helps you to re-wire your brain, so you’ll feel more at-ease, present, and connected. Meditation is an effective way to learn how to separate thoughts and emotions in order to reduce anxiety, depression, the effects of stress and build resilience. One or two minutes of meditation each day can make a huge difference.