Dealing with stress is a part of life – it often arises from work, bills, loans, and relationships. Feeling anxious and worried when facing challenges is natural. Embracing occasional negativity and uncertainty is normal since it's a fundamental part of the human experience. Stress isn't always negative; it can lead to personal growth by building resilience and strength.
Overcoming stressful situations can make you stronger and more resilient in the long run.
Dealing with stress
While a little stress here and there may not be harmful, prolonged periods of stress can take a toll on our physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. It's normal to experience some everyday stress, but it's important to recognize when stress levels are consistently too high.
Some counsellors use biofeedback technology to assess stress levels, however being more aware of the following physical signs can be helpful:
Tense or painful muscles - This can be felt in the shoulders, back, chest, stomach, or head.
Digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
Sexual health and well-being - Lowered sex drive, impotence in men, and irregular periods in women can be indicators.
Heart and blood pressure - An increased release of stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline), which puts us in "fight-or-flight" mode, can impact heart rate and blood pressure.
Breathing assessment - Feeling stressed can be associated with over-breathing (breathing more than is needed to meet the body’s needs) or faster, chest-based breathing.
Adrenal assessment - Blood and urine samples can be taken to measure stress hormone levels, such as cortisol and adrenaline.
Sleep tracking - Quality and quantity of sleep are often impacted by increased stress and are easily monitored through trackers.
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” – Oprah Winfrey
In response to stress, many people are now turning to meditation or mindfulness apps, myself included. However, a new study suggests that not all mindfulness practices are equally effective in combating stress. Some of our practices may lack a crucial component: ACCEPTANCE.
Getting To Know The Role Of Acceptance in Stress Relief.
Why might acceptance be important? Lindsay argues that when people accept difficult experiences, such as stress, it allows the experiences to "run their course and dissipate." Resisting these experiences only makes them stronger. Accepting stress helps people to stop focusing solely on what's wrong and to notice other feelings, sensations, and thoughts occurring at the same time. This enables individuals to see the bigger picture.
Acceptance in meditation can be a powerful tool for stress relief. It involves recognizing and embracing your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. Instead of resisting or trying to change these experiences, you observe them. This is a fundamental aspect of mindfulness meditation.
Stress is often worsened when we resist certain thoughts or emotions. Embracing these experiences can reduce the internal conflict and tension caused by resistance.
Accepting your feelings makes you less likely to react impulsively, which can help reduce stress and enhance emotional well-being. Observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment makes you more mindful of your mental and emotional patterns.
Acceptance keeps you rooted in the present, reducing concerns about the past or future. Focusing on the present moment can significantly reduce stress levels.
“Stress acts as an accelerator: it will push you either forward or backward, but you choose which direction.” – Chelsea Erieau
Stress Management Not Stress Relief; The Difference.
Stress management involves using strategies to handle stress effectively, to reduce its impact on your life. This may include techniques such as regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, practicing mindfulness, and developing good sleep habits. It's about building resilience and coping mechanisms to deal with stressors as they arise.
3 Stress Management Techniques
Recognizing how you currently deal with stress and anxiety
There are various ways to improve our ability to manage stress and build resilience. One way is to recognize how we currently deal with stress and anxiety.
Stress and anxiety are a natural part of life. How we handle these feelings may depend on how we interpret them. Understanding our reactions and behaviors in stressful situations can help us handle stress better in the future.
There are possible stress tests you can conduct to determine responses. Consider the following scenarios:
Do you avoid stressful or anxiety-inducing situations?
Do you suppress upsetting feelings?
Do you talk yourself out of feeling anxious, stressed, or worried?
Do you distract yourself from stress (staying busy, eating, drinking)?
Do you replace negative thoughts with positive ones?
Do you seek help (therapy, stress-relief books, talking with friends)?
This is not an exhaustive or judgmental list. It simply shows the varied responses—positive and negative—to stress and anxiety.
Ask yourself - which responses offer short-term relief and which provide long-term support.
Now, ask yourself to consider what you may be missing out on in life. Your answers will either confirm successful stress management or provide valuable insights into necessary changes.
Changing How We See Stressful Situations
We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can choose to see them differently. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has proven valuable for clients learning to manage anxiety and stress. It encourages the following steps:
1. Accept what is happening.
2. Choose the direction you want your life to take.
3. Take action to realize your valued life goals.
ACT focuses on letting go of struggles, cultivating peace of mind, and accepting what is, while doing what works. Rather than struggling to reduce stress and anxiety, the client accepts their experiences and then chooses the direction they want their life to take.
The following techniques can help the client make such changes:
1. Radical acceptance, often practiced within Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), teaches the client that they cannot control every aspect of their experience. Setting goals for radical acceptance can help the client understand how it will benefit their lives.
2. Challenging core beliefs can shape how we face difficult times and react to stress. The Core Beliefs Worksheet encourages the client to reflect on how they see themselves and what experiences shape the beliefs they hold. Interpreting stressful experiences through a new belief set can change how they impact the client.
3. Accepting our thoughts and feelings is also important. The goal of ACT is to encourage clients to accept what lies beyond their control and commit to life-enhancing actions. The Thoughts and Feelings: Struggle or Acceptance? worksheet helps the client gain more insight into how much control they have over their feelings and thoughts.
Establish Clear boundaries for your Personal time
Make sure to set clear boundaries for your time outside of work. When working remotely, it’s easy for the line between work and personal life to blur.
Establish clear expectations for yourself and adhere to them to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Create a dedicated workspace by designating a specific area in your home for work. This helps to mentally separate work from personal life.
Set a schedule by defining your working hours and communicating them to your colleagues and family. Stick to this schedule as much as possible.
Remember to take regular breaks throughout your workday to rest and recharge, as this can improve productivity and reduce stress.
After your workday is over, make an effort to disconnect by turning off work-related notifications and avoiding checking emails. Use this time to unwind and engage in activities you enjoy.
Don’t forget to prioritize self-care by making time for exercise, hobbies, and social interactions. Taking care of your physical and mental health is crucial for your overall well-being.
Conclusion
Stress can take many forms and occur in various situations. However, most of us have experienced it, or even burnout, in our professional lives. And yet, while we may react by trying to ignore stress, distance ourselves from it, or even fight it, our best approach may be one of acceptance. In doing so, we remove the contributory stress related to unwanted feelings, freeing us to move forward toward our goals and meaningful living.
Get a handle on reducing stress now. Take the 10 Day Meditation Program. Each day will ease you into a routine and help you reap all of the benefits meditation has to offer. Every day you will focus on an aspect that links your mind to your body (and breath) to help you develop a practice that works for you! To join the program, click the link below to start!
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