By Books Author Denise Turney

If you’re feeling anxious and stressed out, you’re not alone. Psychology Today shares that over the last few years, women and men have experienced higher levels of stress, a condition that can cause depression, which has also increased. There are multiple causes of anxiety and stress, including drug and alcohol withdrawal, work problems, relationship difficulties, bullying, money problems and a relentless schedule. Yet, there are easy ways to relax to reduce and eliminate stress and anxiety.

More importantly, relaxation techniques are worth exploring. Why? Stress is like an “always-in-motion” ball that’s hard to dodge. There always seems to be an event, responsibility, news story or experience that produces stress. The world’s changing landscape that’s filled with pandemic outbreaks, military conflicts, social inequities, job demands and everyday relationship challenges certainly doesn’t make it easy to sidestep stress.

Stress Benefit

That might come with reward, because not all stress is deemed “bad”. For instance, if you’re paying attention (also known as practicing “awareness”), stress could signal that it’s time for change. This happened to me years ago when I was between jobs. Here’s the thing. I had a good job, a home, reliable vehicle and warm, loving relationships.

I kept telling myself that I should be happy. But, something was off, and I knew it. There was a nagging feeling of being “stuck”. Talk about an uncomfortable, unfamiliar, unwanted feeling. Nothing that I tried got rid of that feeling of being “stuck”. And, I tried a lot of ways to shake that feeling. I tried exercise, meditating, reading positive material, positive affirmations and prayer, to name a few.

This was around the time of the market crash that launched the Great Recession. At the time, my hopefulness centered around the possibility that I was getting ready to become a full-time freelance writer. Although that did happen, it didn’t occur the way that I thought it would. It certainly didn’t happen the way I wanted it to.

When It’s Hard To Trust

For me, during this “hanging in limbo” period, stress increased. Before long, I was struggling to get and stay asleep (and, I generally have no trouble sleeping). If I could only see what was coming. That’s what I kept searching for. Oh, how I wanted to know what was ahead. You have no idea what I would have given to have a crystal ball sitting on my living room table back then.

Wouldn’t mind that now. Howbeit, that’s not how life in this world works. Life here is about taking chances. It’s about trial and error. For sure, life in this world is about trust. That period of feeling stuck taught me lessons on dealing with stress. Hopefully, several of the lessons shared below will help you as you continue your journey.

1. Breathe – You might be surprised at how much stress leaves your body as soon as you start inhaling and exhaling fully. Try it. See if you don’t feel better. Focus on your breathing and you could experience deeper relaxation.
2. Explore Nature – If you read my blog regularly, you know how much I value nature. Getting outside for a walk not only reduces stress. When you go outside, you can shift your mental focus. That alone can serve as a stress reducer.

Techniques to Stop Feeling Anxious and Stressed Out

• Pivot – Piggybacking on the above tip, if you feel stress, try shifting your thoughts to a pleasurable topic. For instance, instead of worrying about bills, you could think about your favorite song. Or you could think about the last time you had a blast playing a sport.
• Take smart action – Returning to the bills example, consider creating a budget and sticking to it.
• Create – Use your talents and skills to create. If you love to paint, sit down and start working with colors. Love sculpting? Start on your next sculpture. Let your inner critic rest. Aim to simply enjoy using your talents to create.
• Eat Healthy – Choose food and beverages that fuel your body with good energy. Reach for green, leafy vegetables. Definitely, drink enough fresh water. Try a healthy diet for two to three weeks and see if you don’t feel and sleep better. Amazing how reducing sugar in your diet (speaking of just one dietary change) can allow you to enjoy deeper sleep.
• Forgive – This one may sound odd. However, it isn’t. Forgiveness works wonders. In fact, I think that forgiveness is a miracle worker! Should you perceive that someone has injured you, hold that person in a vision of light. You might even write them a letter. The goal is to “let go” of the burden, and unforgiveness is a burden. Carry it too long, and it can get especially heavy. So, forgive to reduce stress.

More Techniques to Stop Feeling Anxious and Stressed Out

• Enhance Relationships – In line with forgiveness, take the time to enhance your relationships. This includes your friendships, family relationships, work relationships and social relationships. Improved relationships can make you feel “safe”. As your relationships improve, the times when you might worry that someone doesn’t think well of you could diminish.
• Practice Awareness – This was mentioned earlier. It is worth repeating. Pay attention to your thoughts, what you’re focusing on and what’s happening around you. Also, pay attention to emotions that you hold onto. As an example, you might notice that you’re holding onto the emotion of sadness or the emotion of anger a lot. See if you can link the emotion to a thought (or a string of thoughts). Or, you might find that the emotion is linked to an experience or your perception of a person. Make your goal to feel better, to release stress and to enter into a state of peace and joy.
• Focus on Blessings – Think about the good experiences that you enjoy. You might even decide to set aside 5 to 10 minutes a day to focus on blessings.
• Journal – Write in a journal. Although you may find it beneficial to write in a journal every day, depending on your schedule, it might work better for you to write in a journal once a week. Definitely write down dreams that you remember. Dreams can offer guidance from your subconscious. Writing thoughts and feelings down is also a good way to “work through” stressors.

Trust The Process

Anxiety and stress don’t just feel bad; they can be blinding. In other words, anxiety and stress can blind you from the good that’s happening in your life. And, as you continue to focus on stressors, you could see the stressors grow.

This is what happened to me when I was in that “stuck” period. What did I do? I practiced the above stress relieving exercises. In addition, I trusted the process enough to eventually get “unstuck” and keep moving forward.

And again – trust may be one of the biggest keys to dealing with stress. After all, we can’t always see what’s coming. But we can trust that our Source loves us and is part of the guidance that we receive. That shared, trust can also help you to follow the right guidance which, alone, can reduce stress now and in the long run.

Resources:

Psychology Today – Depression and Anxiety Are on the Rise Globally | Psychology Today