Life can be stressful in general, and especially while experiencing a Pandemic and an INTENSE presidential election. I have definitely dealt with stress as we all have.The amount of chaos, stress, uncertainty and instability that we are dealing with now is EXTREME!
"During these stress inducing times remember to say YES! to you!”
I have definitely had my fair share of stress: being born with a congenital heart defect, getting and living with a transplanted heart, and having experienced, survived, and thrived after 6 different occurrences of a transplant related cancer. Through all of this I have learned ways to deal with intensely nerve wracking situations.
I want to share with you five approaches that have helped me when I find myself feeling STRESSED:
- Allow yourself to feel your feelings, your frustration, your sadness, your anger, and more while not allowing it to consume you or interfere with how you treat others.
- Reach out to others for moral support.
- Set up a structure/routine to help you to feel centered. Times of stress can feel both chaotic and crazy-making!
- Create time to disconnect from talking, thinking, even worrying about the situation at hand, and intentionally distract yourself by watching a funny show, going out in nature, or listening to music, etc.
- Times of uncertainty, when instability is creeping in, finding ways to feel grounded can seem daunting. Using mindful practices to focus on the now helps to stay focused on the present moment. Turning everyday activities into mindful moments can promote a wave of present moment calmness.
I hope that these tips help you to create even a little more peace within, during these stressful times. It is so easy to get consumed when in stressful situations, and get side tracked and neglect to take care of yourself. During these stress inducing times please remember to say YES! to you and take care of your needs by practicing self care, self love, and self compassion. You are not alone! We are in this together!