How Did You Sleep Last Night?
Maybe you had one of those nights where your mind wouldn’t stop scanning all the things that you hadn’t done during your day OR you are thinking about all the new things you have to remember to do today like:
- Make that doctor’s appointment.
- Check your bank account to make sure that bill went through.
- Send that email.
- Finish your presentation before tomorrow.
- Oh! It’s the beginning of the month – I still have to pay rent or the monthly mortgage!
- Grocery shopping! I need to remember to grab food for the week.
- I need to get that report done for work tomorrow.
- And church this week, I need to reschedule that dinner date so I can make it to the mid week service on Wednesday or reschedule brunch so I can hang out at church on Sunday.
- When am I going to find time to work out this week?
- I’ve got to get to the pet store to grab food or he’ll starve & I should probably get my dog’s vet appointment scheduled while I’m at it.
- When am I going to find time to meditate this week? Every single night of the week I’m booked.
- Did I reply to those ________ emails yet? I have to get to those.
Does any of that sound familiar? Everything that was racing through your head last night and all those things that flooded your head as soon as you woke up this morning can cause a lot of stress and overwhelm can’t it? Absolutely!
It’s normal that these things cause stress at times, but it doesn’t have to be that way every week of your life.
You can choose a new way, starting today.
April is National Stress Awareness month so let’s take some time to be proactive about how we can live our lives in a better way filled with more joy and less stress!
HERE’S THE SECRET TO LESS STRESS
The first step is always being aware of what triggers your stress and when you feel yourself going into a stressful state of mind.
As soon as you can proactively identify your triggers and when you feel yourself on the verge of having a “stressache” that’s exactly when you know you need to use one of these strategies below.
These may seem simple or like you’ve heard them all before already, but are you still getting stressed?
It’s not simply knowing what these strategies are, it’s recognizing when you need to use them and actually taking action to doing them and implementing them into your life.The 7 strategies to combat your “Stressaches”
- RECOGNIZE YOUR BLESSINGS AND ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR – This is something we hear about daily, isn’t it? Here’s the thing though. Stress in many cases stems from some sort of fear that you might have and when you are practicing gratitude, it’s impossible to feel fear at that exact same moment. Appreciating what you have also improves your mood, because according to research it reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23%. That’s a whole 23%! Research conducted at the University of California, Davis found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood, energy, and physical well-being.
- GO FOR A WALK OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF EXERCISE – Getting up and moving around helps you refocus on what matters most in the moment. It helps clear your mind and get you out of your head of roller coaster thoughts. By taking a walk, it helps you connect and notice the simple things going on all around you in nature. Plus, studies show that exercise helps reduce your stress levels. Just turn on your music and walk it out.
- WARM UP A CUP OF TEA TO SIP ON – Drinking tea has the effect of calming us which ultimately leads to lower stress levels. Some of the best teas for calming are peppermint, chamomile, green tea, and rose tea. If you’re not a huge tea drinker like me and want more flavor in your tea, try getting actual tea leaves of different flavors instead of the tea bags you find in the grocery store. You can find tea leaves at some grocery stores and also at many local coffee shops. If you get the tea leaves they add SO many extra bursts of flavor. One of my favorite places to get tea is from this sweet friend, Marissa https://lovingcupteas.com/ who blends all her own tea flavors!
- DISCONNECT FROM THE TRIGGERS – When you make yourself available to everyone in your life, including work, you expose yourself to a constant string of stress triggers. Something as simple as turning off your phone for a period of time or taking a break from your email, can have significant impact.
- YOGA & MEDITATION – By practicing just a few Yoga exercises daily, it can help to regulate your breath and relax your body by gently releasing tension from the large muscle groups, flushing all parts of the body and brain with fresh blood, oxygen, and other nutrients, and increasing feelings of well-being.
- TURN ON SOME CALMING MUSIC – Whether it’s smooth jazz, folk, or gospel music like turning the radio station to KTIS, music can naturally help you feel more relaxed and clear your mind to determine what your options are in your stress inducing circumstance. This is one of my favorite Spotify playlists to wind down to: Coffee Mornings
- IF NOTHING ELSE, TAKE ACTION – Mel Robbins talks about the 5 second rule in her new book. (I also shared about this in last week’s love note – go check it out if you missed it.) In the most simple explanation this 5 second rule is all about counting back from 5,4,3,2,1 and then springing up to take action like a rocket about to take off. The 5 second rule is backed by research and it has to do with its ability to interrupt the pattern and the quick hesitation phase that happens for each of us before we make any decision in our life. When in doubt, take action. (Tip: The 5 Second Rule is a great book if you are interested in taking action in areas of your own life.)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
What “stressaches” are you battling right now? Have you identified your triggers? Have you had enough courage to ask for help when you really need it? I’m here for you. Write your note to me below or at HELLO@AMANDABEILKE.COM and let me know what “stressaches” are keeping you up at night so we can find a solution for you in order for you to live a happier life!
Hugs & Mochas,
Amanda
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