Breathe and Relax

Stress in and of itself is part of life. However, if you don't learn how to manage it, it will manage you. So, how do you manage your stress? As I mentioned before some people resort to destructive behaviours like drinking, gambling, eating, starving, cutting even toxic relationships.

There are some healthier ways to manage stress. Believe it or not prevention is better than having to try to find a cure. Stress can lead to anxiety, they often go hand in hand. However, simple consistent activities that you do daily can assist you in living your best life thus not succumbing to chronic stress.

There are many things that you can do to reduce the effects of stress. Why is this so important to learn many different, healthy ways of managing your stress? It's important because they will enable you to NOT resort to destructive habits to try to make yourself feel better. These tools will keep you from falling into addictive behaviours and substances. You'll be able to live the life you've always wanted. A life filled with joy!

Sounds a bit over the top? Not really. Life is stress! However, the choice is yours. You can allow your stress to manage you or, you can choose to manage your stress. There are many healthy ways to manage/cope with stress. The first one is a familiar one, one you've probably heard before yet it's one of the most effective and oh so very powerful tools. It really works and there are no negative side-effects.....EXERCISE.

Yes, that's right exercise! Get your body moving. So many people assume that this means going to the gym, working out for hours on end and lifting heavy weights. But that's not the case, start by doing simple things like, dance around the house, go for a walk with your dog, park your car far away from the door when you go to the store, go swimming, take a stroll with a friend or power walk all by yourself. Just get your body moving. This will enable your body to release the chemical build up that occurs in the body when we are stressed. The added bonus is that exercise raises the serotonin levels - the feel good- chemicals in our body. It balances out the body's system, if the stress is released, such things as blood pressure is reduced.

So, if you really want to begin to do something different, to begin the process of reducing your stress and anxiety and even the depression that can result from stress ...then get your body moving. See how many ways you can get the stress out of your body in a healthy, life-freeing way.