By Books Writer Denise Turney (www.chistell.com)

What’s in your toolbox when it comes to easy ways to reduce and eliminate stress? Do you feel like a hostage to worry? Whether you realize it or not, there are ways to release stress. There are ways to enter peace despite how hectic the world appears.

What Causes Stress

Few of these actions require a dime. Admittedly, the more stress elimination tools you gain, the better. Apply one or more tools early and you could shift from living with mild to chronic worry everyday to experiencing a growing inner peace. But why does stress show up?

Stress shows up for a myriad of reasons. Even more, you could find yourself struggling with stress at any point in your life. Back to stress reasons or causes – Job demands, relationships, finances, political conflicts, parenting, and health concerns are just a few key players when it comes to stress causes. But they aren’t alone.

Dealing with a school or workplace bully, dread about seeing a relative you don’t like at an upcoming family reunion, and concern that a neighbor’s pet has it out for you are other reasons why you could feel stressed. If you’re working a full-time job, you’ve already faced and managed your way through stress (e.g., connecting with friends, engaging in a hobby).

Stress Reducers That Are Already Working for You

So, you already have at least one de-stressor in your toolbox. To add another de-stressor to your toolbox, revisit your childhood. Think back to a time when you found yourself worrying, really worrying. It might have been about an upcoming school exam, a kid who picked on you, or a book report you had to deliver in front of the entire class. (As a kid, speaking in front of a classroom used to scare the wits out of me.)

How long did you feel uncomfortable before you realized what was happening, that you were stressing yourself? What were the first thoughts, including solution ideas, that popped into your mind? Finally, what did you end up doing to reduce or eliminate the stress?

For example, did you talk with a friend or relative about what you were afraid of dealing with? Did you read and meditate on scripture and pray? Or did you write in a journal or speak with the person related to the stress and work out a positive solution?

Hopefully — and although it might look easy at first glance – you didn’t decide to carry the stress. If so, you could still be dealing with the stress, allowing it to show up in different ways.

Easy Wasy to Release Stress

On the other hand, if you found a positive way to release stress, write the action down. It’s a part of your mental wellbeing toolbox.

Here are more easy ways to release stress while living in this hectic world. Consider trying one or more of the ways the next time you start to feel tense:

• Diet – This one may come as a surprise. However, studies show that there may be a link between diet and mood. As shared in Very Well Mind, Kaleigh McMordie, a registered dietician, says that “There is evidence that diet affects mood, including depression and anxiety, as well as our body’s stress response.” Additionally, in a 2021 study, the study participants “who ate at least 470 grams of fruit and vegetables daily had 10% lower stress levels than those who consumed less than 230 grams.”³
• Self-Awareness – It’s hard, if it’s even possible, to beat self-awareness when it comes to spotting, stopping, and releasing stress. Get to know yourself. Tips to strengthen self-awareness include writing in a journal, walking in nature in safe areas, and being honest about what you are feeling and thinking. You don’t have to act on what you’re thinking or feeling, but it’s incredibly beneficial to be aware of (and honest) about what you’re thinking and feeling.
• Pray – Communicate with the Creator. Do this regularly, throughout the day, and your trust level (trust that you can deal with whatever comes your way) may rise.

More About Self-Awareness, Stress and Peace

As noted, self-awareness is key when it comes to spotting and releasing stress. After all, self-awareness can alert you to what causes you to become stressed. Reach this point and you could become aware of what to steer free of.

Check out these easy ways to release stress. See which ones you could easily incorporate in your life:

• Sleep – Create a routine of retiring to bed around the same time at night. Turn off electronics (e.g., cell phones, TVs) before you climb into bed. To sleep better, make sure the temperature in your home is comfortable.  Also, start to wind down an hour before bedtime.
• Exercise – Get outside in safe areas. Move your body. Taking a walk, going for a jog, riding a bike, or swimming are great forms of exercise. Exercising outside allows your body to soak up vitamin D. And light from the sun helps the body release endorphins, natural mood lifters and stress reducers.
• Positive Affirmations – Repeating positive affirmations and posting one or more positive affirmations in your home and at your workplace can keep your thoughts focused on hopeful, encouraging, and loving events and situations.
• Music – Listen to music you appreciate and enjoy, music that lifts your mood and generates peaceful feelings within you.
• Soak – Enjoy taking a relaxing and warm bubble bath.

Let Go of Stress, Welcome Peace

Even more ways to release stress follow. You might do one of these actions already which is very good:

• Meditate – Although you could sit on a mat and focus on your breathing, it’s not necessary. Another thing you don’t have to do to meditate is to empty your mind of all thoughts. If you’re new to meditating, simply sit and watch your thoughts pass as if you’re merely watching clouds float by. As you become aware of your thoughts, you could say, “I seem to be thinking about paying the mortgage.” or “I seem to be thinking about a project at work.”
• Talk with a Friend – Visit or call a friend or a close relative. Simply talk with them about what’s troubling you. Be willing to listen to your friend or relative when they share something that’s troubling them too.
• Yoga – Practice two to three yoga moves for 10 to 15 minutes. See if you don’t start to feel better.
• Sing – Make your own music by singing a song you made up or recently heard on the radio that you’re digging.
• Dance – Yes; dance!
• Read a Book – This one has worked for me more times than I can count. Getting caught up in an entertaining story that also relaxes you can do wonders for your mood, not to mention help you sleep better.

Don’t Go It Alone; Say Good-bye to Stress

Socializing with friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors is another good stress reducer and eliminator. If you’re shy like I was (I was painfully shy years ago), take small steps. But start getting out with people who truly love and care about you.

For instance, you could go to the movies, bowling, fishing, hiking, visiting museums or to arts events with family and friends. Joining a book club, traveling, spending time at the beach, and watching uplifting TV shows can also reduce stress.

Whatever you do to release stress as you navigate a hectic world, don’t accept that you have no choice but to hang onto stress. Why? Stress doesn’t generally go away on its own.

How Stress Loves Bad Company

In fact, and unfortunately, stress has not lowered during 2024. Some studies show that the numbers of people reporting that they are stressed has increased. The American Psychiatric Association shares that, “In 2024, 43% of adults say they feel more anxious than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.”¹

Furthermore, Forbes shares that, “Compared to other countries, 2022 data from Gallup shows that Afghanistan currently has the highest reported stress level at 68%— the U.S. is not too far behind at 53%.”² Akin to other issues, stress doesn’t hang out alone.

Let stress build and hang around too long and you could develop headaches, achy joints, trouble sleeping, and high blood pressure. Ulcers, moodiness, problems focusing or concentrating, and inflammation are other issues linked to prolonged stress.

Shift Out of Stress into Peace

Hence, the importance of practicing stress reducers and eliminators. See if you can catch yourself early. As soon as you notice that you’re becoming tense, reach in your toolbox and put a positive stress reducer or stress eliminator into action. Avoid engaging in unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking caffeine and alcohol, and sleeping all day.

Should you still be wrestling with stress, even after implementing several stress elimination actions, consider speaking with a licensed, experienced, and ethical psychologist.⁴ You are too important to allow suffering to become “normal” for you. Take care of yourself. Love yourself. You may find it helpful to journal about your day, releasing stressors as you express yourself honestly in a journal.

Try Looking at the Stressor Differently

Look at what you are allowing yourself to enter into a stressful state differently. Try asking yourself questions about the situation. Sample questions include: Is the conversation going to go as negatively as I keep trying to convince myself that it will? Could I be happily surprised at the outcome? Have I always been right when I’ve worked hard to predict how a future event would go?

When has a future event not gone “exactly” as I had tried to convince and worry myself that it would go? Am I partly trying to force myself into a stressful state because I am afraid of being wrong? Then, encourage yourself that it’s okay to be wrong. It’s okay to think a conversation, relationship, work project, arts production or situation is going to go one way and then be surprised when it turns out differently.

Personally, there have been countless times when I thought a situation was going to blow up and it didn’t. And there have been times when I thought someone hated me only to discover that they care about me. So, try to look at the stressor differently. That alone might open you up to peace.

Here’s to you and how amazing you truly are.

Resources:

1. Psychiatry.org – American Adults Express Increasing Anxiousness in Annual Poll; Stress and Sleep are Key Factors Imp
2. Stress Statistics And Facts In 2024 – Forbes Health
3. What You Eat Can Directly Impact Stress and Anxiety, Research Shows (verywellmind.com)
4. Stress relievers: Tips to tame stress – Mayo Clinic