3 Steps to Reducing Everyday Stress

YOU know the time. You're feeling footloose and fancy-free, with tender equilibrium, and then, without warning, a flood of things comes your way to do, or some emotion-initiating event happens, and you're undone in a flash. Or, perhaps you're constantly feeling overwhelmed or anxious at the mere thought of the unknown coming at you. Maybe you can't enjoy the good moments for the fear it won't last. Could be you're just exhausted.

Welcome to the club!

A recent study[1] revealed that 30-45 percent of Australians found seven factors significantly stressful: issues related to personal finances, personal health, family, healthy lifestyle, health of others close to you, workplace, and relationships in general. Added to this, the fear of missing out was a significant stressor for those aged under 45.

There are two ways of looking at reducing everyday stress:

1. Acceptance of those matters that cannot be changed.

2. Courage to challenge and shift what can be changed.

Here are three steps to reducing your everyday stress:

1. Accept the things you cannot change - some things like low income, the health of others, some relationships, and family (to some extent) we simply cannot influence. Make a list of the things you cannot change and agree with yourself to stop stressing about them. (Regularly praying the prayer at the bottom of this article will help.)

2. Change the things you can - budgeting, personal lifestyle, and some relationships you can impact. Again, make a list of the issues of stress you face that you can influence. Develop strategies to instil change. Of all things, we find hard it's developing new habits. Persevere and results do come.

3. Discern the difference between things that cannot and can be changed - wisdom is so important for managing stress and the keeping of perspective in life.

Praying this prayer - The Serenity Prayer - on a regular basis will help reduce stress:

God, help me to accept the things I cannot change, give me the courage to change the things I can, and grant me the wisdom to discern the difference. Amen.

Faith in God through Jesus Christ helps mobilise such a prayer of wisdom, bringing its fruit into our lives even as we pray and apply it.

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Exercise for Your Health - Keep Yourself Going With Affirmations

Exercise is a fundamental key to a healthy lifestyle. And yet, for busy people, exercise is often the thing that gets shelved to make way for other responsibilities and tasks.

But here's the thing: exercise is one of the most energizing and stress-reducing activities you can engage in. When you skip it, you are undermining yourself.

Exercise: Keeping it a Priority

So, maintaining an exercise regimen as a priority time choice is an important self-care skill to develop. And one of the most powerful ways that I know of, to keep yourself going when the going gets tough, is with affirmations.

Below is a list of affirmations you can use as a jumping off place as you work to maintain your exercise motivation.

Exercise Affirmations: Staying Healthy and Strong

And remember that affirmations are highly personal. They need to connect with your heart if they are going to work for you. So take these and make them yours... play with them as much as you need to!

I encourage and motivate myself to exercise regularly and keep moving.

I am making big changes with my stress-relieving exercise routine.

No excuses today! I know that exercising helps... and I am going to continue.

I don't buy into the idea that exercise is a chore.

I have mastered the regimen of staying fit.

Fitness is not a luxury; it's a necessity that lets me live a long and full life.

Hard work and hard-breathing exercise are key to reducing my stress.

It feels so good to work up a sweat and clear my mind.

I am in charge of my physical destiny and I appreciate the tremendous benefit my mind, spirit and body receive with each workout.

I have made up my mind to be as healthy as I can be.

I choose to be strong and healthy so I may live a healthy and vibrant life.

I am on a positive path and I will persist on my life journey.

I don't seek to impress, but rather, I do this for me!

My mind is made up and I know that exercise is the best gift I can give to myself right now.

I am so glad to be exercising today!

Exercise: It's All in Your Hands

Can you feel the energy as you read through those affirmations? That's power - and it is all there, right inside of you, awaiting your direction.

When you make time choices that allow you to keep up your exercise regimen, you give yourself a gift that will reduce your stress and enhance your productivity and enjoyment of life, no matter what. So, try using affirmations to give yourself the support and encouragement you need.

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The Question Should Be, "Why Not Me?" Rather Than, "Why Me?"

The question is - why not me rather than why me!

Have you ever said "why me"? Come on - be honest here - sooner or later everyone feels like some area of life has not been fair to them and their usual response is "why me or why now."

Why not look at these life situations or circumstances a little differently with a "why not me". Let me explain.

Think about it - no matter what has happened or how bad something seems, consider that there could possibly be someone in the world who has it worse. I could give your dozens of global statistics when it comes to poverty, sickness, death, the shortness of life, poor income etc. but I'm sure you are familiar with some of them unless you are totally immersed in yourself without a care in the world for anyone other than yourself. I'll give you one - over 795,000,000 people in the world suffer from hunger without enough food to sustain a healthy lifestyle. That's about one in nine people.

Are you one of them? I doubt it. But I'm sure you may have an idea where this article is going - if not - when you consider all of the disease, poverty, hunger etc. in the world I'll bet you don't face any of these every day so back to the title the question should be - why not me rather than why me in difficult circumstances?

I will focus on just three areas although there are many - careers and or business, general happiness and health.

Careers or business - The average income globally for individuals is $795/month. Are you making more than that? Thousands of people die every day due to hunger and disease. So, why are you whining? We spend over one third of our life working in our jobs or careers so if you do not have peace in your career - well - it's simple - one third of your life will be unfulfilling. I'll bet you know dozens of people who have been terminated or just lost their jobs to circumstances they couldn't control - are you one of them? If you are reading this - probably not.

Over 1500 businesses fail every day in the US - is yours one of them?

It's not complicated - I'll bet if you ask yourself a simple question - why not me rather than why me I'll wager that you will come to realize the many blessings you have in life every day. Over 40,000 people die in their sleep every day - are you one of them? Doubt it.

I have failed numerous times during my life but my response was always - OK what can I learn from this and what can I do now - not, poor me, life isn't fair, I don't deserve this or some other lame negative reaction. Ever failed at anything - what was your response - point the finger, get all stressed out or just have a pity party or did you just move on - smarter and wiser?

General happiness - Research indicates that only one in three Americans are happy and less than 50% of the population are happy in their careers or jobs. Happiness is not nor will ever be what you have, do or enjoy but the ability to be happy regardless of what life brings into your days and years. Happiness is a mindset and this is not who you are or what you have but your life philosophy.

If you want to be happy it won't happen with a bigger house, more money, nicer car or more toys or travel. Research over the years has proven time and time again - money, wealth, power, fame or stuff doesn't make people happy. Sure all of these are great but if you are doing them for greater happiness - you will be disappointed.

Do you think someone who is starving in the world gives a rip about having a nicer car or even a car?

Health - There are numerous studies over the years that have validated that the number one contributor to sickness and death is unmanaged stress and do you know the major cause of stress? It's a lack of patience or control. So, why not ask yourself - is a roof over my head enough? Are three meals a day enough, is having health insurance enough or do you whine about what's missing?

So let me close with a quick question - are your issues, challenges, concerns, worries or fears even close to the general negative global statistics when it comes to these areas? If not - get over it and just be OK with what you have and stop complaining about what you don't have

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