FoxBusiness.com published this article February 12, 2008
Stress is one of the most devastating health concerns people face in today’s fast paced 24-7 society. Stress leads to sleep disorder, heart related maladies, high blood pressure, and it often drains energy leading to a weakened immune system.
8 Steps to Controlling Stress:
1. Rituals–Begin your day with a ritual that centers you in peace. Meditate using focused concentration, mantras, or daily affirmations reintroduce a sense of peace and tranquility
2. Create Awareness–Consciously examine your thoughts and responses to stressful situations. Be aware that you have control over your thinking process and the responses to these thoughts. Simply put, do not leave this to chance.
3. Healthy Diet–Identify your diet and investigate whether the foods you consume affect your energy level and overall health. Doctors have found that one of the leading causes of low energy and other harmful health problems is food intolerance.
4. Healthy Lifestyle–Managing stress through exercise is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. A consistent exercise program will help lower blood pressure; push waste out of the body with promoted blood flow; release endorphin chemicals which promote happiness positively effecting your overall well being; and well conditioned people have a tendency to be more resistant to stress
5. Big Picture–Do not stress over small things aka don’t sweat the little things. Be aware of the bigger issues in your life by not needlessly worrying about the tiny aspects
6. Joy and Peace–Create the “mindset” ( A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person’s responses to and interpretations of situations) that you will approach the world from a perspective of joy and peaceful thoughts. Lose the anger and bitterness that accompany people like baggage in a failed love relationship
7. Be Grateful–Focus on all the things you have to be grateful about in your life. Remember the love, family, health, talents, and freedoms you are blessed with and enjoy them
8. Balance–Work-life balance is a huge issue. Hobbies, interests outside your profession, philanthropic work, family time, or personal growth education are a few important aspects necessary for a stress reduced life. Make a list of these activities and begin to make plans to indulge yourself today
