Stress Management - Seven Steps for Less Stress and More Personal Peace in 2008
By Ilenya Marrin
As you focus on the year ahead, is taking better care of yourself part of your plan?
If you have been frazzled, frustrated, stressed, strained and struggling physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially, here are simple steps you can take to cut down on stress. You can create greater calm and order in your life and more peace and content in your heart.
These tips are essentially the steps I used to recover from debilitating, stress-related illness in 1996-98. Now, I find I have to keep renewing my commitment to working with these principles. Otherwise, it’s very easy to get caught up again in the stress merry-go-round! Please note that while these strategies will not work overnight, consistent practice really adds up to success!
1. Learn to love and accept yourself just as you are, and to forgive any perceived shortcomings. The more you love yourself, the easier it will be become to take the other steps suggested below. To jump-start your process, try affirming, “I love myself,” many times a day. Or write a note of love and appreciation to yourself daily in your journal. Or look into your own eyes in a mirror and tell yourself, “I love you,” every day for the next month.
2. Practice being a Neutral Caring Observer of your life. Observe without getting caught up in the emotions of the action. Observe yourself when you do get upset or stressed out. You can tell yourself, “Oops, there I go getting all caught up in the drama.” Remember, you have a choice to sidestep the emotions in favor of the more objective viewpoint where you have more options for problem-solving. Make that choice as best you can in the moment.
3. Decide on your priorities and choose activities that line up with your highest values. If you dream of being a writer, make time to write. Skip the nights out with bar-hopping friends in favor of moving on your dream. If you want to be debt-free, cut up your credit cards and stay out of tempting stores.
4. Look for the good in everything. Use every challenge to help you learn and grow. This might be easier if you reflect on past stressful times and how - in the end - you learned or benefited in some way from the experience. If you can look back and see the growth, you can learn to perceive current opportunities for expanding your mind, adding to your abilities, or balancing your emotions. Focusing on the positive outcomes will help reduce your stress.
5. Take practical action steps to de-stress your life. Possibilities to prompt your thinking include: See the doctor, rest and relax, eat well, exercise, meditate, and tackle whatever problems are triggering your stress head on. Get your finances in order. Make a plan and get out of debt. Find a support group for stressed-out moms.
6. Let go of people and activities that are not in line with your personal priorities. You do not have to be all things to all people. You do not have to agree to every request for volunteer support. Choose to be with people who are in alignment with your priority plan and it will be natural and easy to let go of the less supportive ones.
7. De-clutter your home and workplace. Get rid of unnecessary stuff. Clutter contributes hugely to stress but is one of the easiest areas to control. Take 15 minutes a day to sort out small spaces in your environment. You will be amazed at how much calmer and clearer you feel each time you clean out a drawer, a box, or a file basket. Throw it out, shred it, give it to charity, or have a garage sale. But get the “junk” out of your personal space.
As you practice these strategies, you may find that over time your stress level diminishes significantly. Instead, you will enjoy a sense of well-being and personal peace. You will have the inner resources and reserves of energy to deal with the occasional, inevitable stressors. You will have empowered yourself to live a more conscious and fulfilling life, using creative approaches to reduce stress and create the inner peace that you deserve.
And if you want more stress reduction tips, sign up for my free newsletter, 17 Simple Stress Solutions, at http://www.powerofpersonalpeace.com/optin.htm Check out my articles on success, less stress, and my Ask Dr. Ilenya advice column at my blog, http://lovingyoursuccess.blogspot.com
Dr. Ilenya Marrin is a spiritual counselor, inspirational speaker and author of ebooks The Power of Personal Peace: Reducing Stress by Loving Yourself from the Inside Out and 77 Loving Steps for Success.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ilenya_Marrin
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