• Recognize it is normal to experience stressors, acknowledge them and think of ways to cope. You don’t have to ignore stressors, but you don’t have to pay too much attention to them either.
• Keep things in perspective – a situation may be out of control, but you and how you respond to situations are in control.
• Don’t cross bridges before you get to them. Don’t worry about things you are unsure will happen. Trust yourself to know you will handle a situation should it occur.
• Journal about negative emotions/experiences/stressors to help process them.
• Practice time management and abide by the motto “first things first.”
• Talking to someone you trust about your stressors/worries helps to put things in perspective.
• Take long, slow, controlled breaths through your lower lung/stomach area. This will stop your stress immediately by stimulating the relaxation response.
• Exercise, yoga, walking and running have all been shown to reduce stress and depression.
• Take care of yourself first, even before the other people on your list. Reward yourself to a massage, manicure etc, this will put you in a better place to cope with stress.
• Take a break – walk around inside or outside, do jumping jacks.
• Try guided mental imagery. Imagine a relaxing scene (lying on a beach) this stimulates the relaxation response.
• Practice meditation or mindfullness (being aware of your present moment, not judging, thinking, just being). Check out this link for brief mindfullness activities.

If you notice yourself experiencing physical stress symptoms frequently, you can’t get past a particular worry, or just have a ton of stressors at this time in your life, please email to schedule your free 30 minute consultation.