Let’s face it. Life is STRESSFUL! Too many commitments. Too many ideas of how you wish you could spend your time.Too many things needing your attention. The list never ends. Do you need some tips for coping when life is stressful?
Stress comes in all forms and is an unavoidable part of life. Ideally, the best thing would be to eliminate as much as you can, but when stubborn stress keeps sticking around, there certainly are ways to cope with it. Check these out and pick several that seem do-able to implement into your day-to-day life.
Tips for coping when life is stressful:
- Breathe deeply from your belly!- An instant stress relief!
- Let go of things you can’t control and trust that God is in control
- Read The Bible and discover what it is telling you about who God is
- Pray prayers of thanksgiving for all God is doing
- Read a Psalm out loud
- Memorize and recite the Serenity Prayer- God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
- Stay active and exercise. Just get moving!
- Keep your mind focused on the present and just do the task at hand. Avoid temptations to fret about the past or worry about the future. Practicing trauma and worst case scenario thinking does not help.
- Practice a relaxation technique and do it regularly
- Open up and talk to someone you trust regularly
- Laugh with friends
- Prioritize and do the most important things first
- Limit your use of alcohol and/or things that alter your mood
- Cut out the sugar. It has a huge impact on how you feel physically and emotionally.
- Learn to say “No” to things that will cause overcommitment and don’t feel guilty when you do.
- Eliminate unnecessary commitments
- Delegate responsibilities. It’s always good to ask for help!
- Spend time with positive life giving people- my church family is mine!
- Accept your imperfections
- Accept others imperfections
- Don’t put unrealistic demands on your time. Make your to-do list reasonable
- Get plenty of rest. Set a bedtime and stick to it.
- Don’t procrastinate. It is always a form of self-sabotage and brings more stress.
- Allow time to PLAY
- Write things down to free the clutter in your mind
- Smile often. Maybe you can practice your best smile in the mirror. Seriously it will make you laugh out loud 🙂
- Take breaks often and rest
- Eat 3 meals a day and 2 small healthy snacks
- Drink enough water
- Journal a prayer or your thoughts to God
- Paint or do something crafty
- Do something each day just for you – even just for 5 minutes
- Acknowledge your limitations. You are not a super hero!
- Set healthy limits and boundaries with others
- Set small goals for yourself each day
- Be optimistic
- Practice grace
- Light candles
- Listen to soothing music
Some of these will take a little planning, but many are easy to do at a moments notice. If it’s a crazy time for you, it’s time to decrease stress making several of these part of your weekly routine!
What are some of your favorite ways to cope when life is stressful?