If you’ve found yourself to be one of the many Westerners that work 5 days a week with a long stream of responsibilities that only seem to pile up, then chances are you are dealing with a level of stress that you can’t seem to get rid of.
Sometimes you might even find stress common and a normal part of your everyday lifestyle. Deep down you know it’s not otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. Stress is a silent killer. Anxiety derives from stress which is usually induced by a high-pressure society and life’s high demands and expectations which seem to attack us from every angle.
If you can learn to develop small habits that help decompress and incorporate into your day to ensure you stay happy and healthy, not only do you come to enjoy them but you make them a priority. Because as they say….
There’s no way we were meant to just pay bills and die
It’s important to adopt a positive approach to cope with stress, have less anxiety, focus on the tasks at hand and live a much happier life.
Practicing a few simple reduction techniques work but you have to want them to. You have to be willing to accept that in order to be happy you have to make that decision.
Yoga
If you’re adverse to exercise or gyms, yoga might be the best solution for anti-stress. Known to be one of the most effective and powerful methods for healing, exercise, and relaxation, there is a reason why it’s so popular and why so many promise “it will change your life.”
Historically, yoga was a way of life for people in the Eastern world and now the Western world has heavily adopted yoga as part of life. Yoga is a profound method for many health benefits, most importantly for lowering stress and improving mood.
The beauty about the practice of yoga is that you can do it anywhere. Another practice usually integrated into yoga is meditation. Whether done alone or combined this method of reducing stress is incredibly powerful and long-lasting.
If you’re not sure how to get started with yoga and meditation, you might want to consider The Yoga Summit. You can begin at your own pace even if it’s in your own backyard. The Yoga Summit is an online event packed with superior virtual programs that provide you with education and practice. Simple, fun to learn, at your own pace and in your own place.
The Yoga Summit goes beyond physical practice allowing you to improve the way you eat, breathe, sleep and move and can dramatically improve your health.
Their time-tested techniques help you get your meditation on point, improves your concentration, enables positive-thinking and productivity, bringing you clarity, peace of mind and success in all areas of your life.
Classes and workshops are guided and taught by world-class leaders. One of them notably is Richard Miller PhD., founding president and CEO of Integrative Restoration Institute speaks on the topic of Yoga vs. Stress and the connection between alleviating your stress and anxiety with yoga and meditation.
Gratitude
Gratitude is the best way to shift your mind and body from a stressed and anxious state to a more consciously aware and appreciative state. If you maintain your attention and are grateful for the things you currently have and love instead of the things you do not have, you will notice your stress dramatically diminish.
When we are grateful, we are in a positive state of mind and present in the moment. Not only does this make us feel better on a cellular level, but the people around us feel it too, making it that much easier to be around.
A great way of showing gratitude to yourself or others is to find a way to express how you’re feeling–whether it’s telling to a friend, writing it out or listening to a song that relates to how you’re feeling which can bring about positive emotion. (That is, of course, if the song and lyrics are positive).
In addition, if we acknowledge that to worry about things you can’t control rather than the things you can, you place yourself in a more assertive position in life–focus on the solution, not the problem.
Essential Oils
Whether we like to believe it or not, essential oils have tremendous healing powers and effects on our overall well-being. From treating anxiety and countless other ailments, using essential oils which are derived from plants, herbs and flowers have been utilized as ancient remedies from around the world.
While essential oils do not cure anxiety alone, it has the incredible ability to ease any kind of distress or calm the nerves. Try rubbing Vitruvi Lavender Oil on your temples or place a few drops in the palm of your hands rubbing them together and then onto your pillow before you sleep.
If you can focus on where you can make progress, rather than stressing over things that are inevitable you become more in control of your life. Relax by Vitruvi is an excellent blend of essential oils that can help you recharge after a stressful day.
There are three main ways to use an essential oil so figure out which is best for you and you will most likely get the most benefit out of it.
As a disclaimer: Do Not ingest any essential oils at any time and speak to your health care practitioner if you are pregnant.
Laughter
Sometimes known to be “the best medicine.” Cardiac surgeon Dr. Gulshan Sethi, explains that while frowning is caused by stress, laughter can counteract stress with laughter as it activates the body’s natural relaxation response and increases the body’s level of endorphins. Find a way to make you smile or laugh, even if it means laughing at your own jokes.
Exercise
An immense amount of research has emphasized the tremendous benefits exercise has on health and well-being. In terms of chronic stress and anxiety…
“Scientists have found that regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem. About five minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects.”
The Mayo Clinic describes exercise as “meditation in motion.” Most of the time just taking the time to walk for about 20-30 minutes alone and outdoors can have immense effects on mood and gives you time to truly relax and think clearly. Most of the time when we are too much in our heads, we can lose sight of what is truly going on as some tend to wander off and worry about events that have or will never occur. Walking, running or even specific activities keeps your cortisol levels in check and gets your mind going in a positive space.
While exercise has a significant impact on your mood levels, diet and nutrition also work in conjunction with how your body feels. If you’re finding maintaining an ideal weight or are eating foods that do more harm than good on your stress radar, then you might want to seriously consider a time-tested program that will help guide the way for you, alleviating a good portion of the stress and get you towards the goals you’ve been longing for. Doing so could lead to a happier healthier version of yourself. The one you’ve been dreaming of.
We make it easy for you. Thousands have found proven ways to lessen stress. The 2 Week Diet is a popular fool-proof program, it helps you get the benefits you desire. Because in the end, we have the self-control to change the things we don’t like for things that make us happy and lead to a positive lifestyle. Not just for ourselves but for our communities, society and the environment.
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