Ok ? So we've recognized the signs and it's official, we're stressed!



Stress affects the whole person - body, mind, feelings, and behavior, and just as symptoms can take many forms, so there are many simple actions that you can take to relieve these symptoms.

Learn to Relax

Imagine? having relief on tap - something you could experience whenever you need it, something that would remove all the stress from your body and return the sparkle to your mind. How would you feel if you could wake up tomorrow, feeling in control?

Well, Happily, you are blessed with a really powerful tool that can remove stress instantly - your body's relaxation response.

You can use hypnosis to trigger this wonderful natural effect, which will release hormones and neurotransmitters that flood your body and mind with pure, cleansing relaxation. You owe it to yourself to feel the relief you can have instantly, so learn this technique. Seek out a hypnotherapy DVD or find a hypnotherapist to help you refocus on relaxation and stress relief.

Take Action on stress

Procrastination is itself a cause of stress, simply making a conscious decision to act upon your situation will bring to you, such a sense of relief that this unpleasant situation is going to change, that you will immediately start to feel some benefit. Eliminate procrastination from your life. Don't put things off until tomorrow, do them today. Create a ?DO IT NOW? mentality.

Speak to someone

A problem shared is a problem halved, it's good to talk. Talking it over with a friend or someone who is willing to listen, who wont judge or offer advice, can often help to de-clutter the mind and clarify your perspective and help you to take appropriate action to relieve stress. If you feel uncomfortable talking to someone at first, then write a letter to yourself or to someone else, without posting it, but find a means of getting your true thoughts and feelings down on paper. You can then destroy it if you wish, it's a form of release, which you can then follow up with a plan to resolve your issues.

Change the Dynamic of your situation

Don't be afraid to say NO. If you can learn how to be more assertive, you are more likely to have choices and this will enable you to say what you think and act how you want to. Imagine how much less stressed this will make you feel.

Give yourself choices, change the stress factors that you can and strengthen your ability to cope with ones that you cannot change. Be creative, find compromises, Reframe problems and look for solutions that create win-win outcomes.

Time Management

Time management allows you to plan and organize your life to give yourself more space and opportunity. It involves planning, delegating, setting goals and not wasting any time doing unnecessary things or worrying about things over which you have no control.

Be Organized. Prepare for the coming day, the night before. Don't rely on your memory (it's the first thing to go when you're stressed). Write down appointments, to-do lists, directions and shopping lists. Create order out of chaos. Plan your day to give you time to eat and relax afterwards, it will aid your digestion (peptic ulcers aren't fun).

Give yourself more time to do things so that you are not pressured. Get up a little earlier, leave a little earlier for appointments. Do one thing at a time and do it well, focus on the job at hand and forget everything else you have to do.

Finally, allow yourself some personal time, everyday, a private moment for peace, quiet and contemplation.

Life Management

Have an optimistic view of the world. Life only comes once, it's quite short and you have to appreciate what's good in it. See things from a relaxed viewpoint. Learn to live one day at a time and take each day as you find it. Enjoy the moments.

Remember that most people are doing the best that they can. Find it within yourself to be tolerant and understanding. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world.

Exercise

Exercise combats many of the physical and emotional symptoms of stress and can make you feel better about yourself. Exercise can bring about improvements in self-esteem and self-image and increase confidence. When our confidence and esteem are lifted our perception of ourselves changes completely and becomes much more positive.

Exercise also releases hormones that affect your mood, creating a more relaxed and positive frame of mind and releasing physical stress from the body.

Don't ignore the mental and emotional aspect of exercise. Giving yourself time out to do something fun simply makes you feel good, so if you're feeling stressed and unsure about whether to exercise or not, simply remind yourself of how you are going to feel afterwards.

Mind and Spirit

The following practices may help you to relax and unwind. Explore them and find out what works for you. Relaxation should be part of your daily routine.

- Guided relaxation and visualization techniques: obtain a CD or DVD

- Meditation: Brings an abundance of calm into your life

- Deep breathing techniques: Re-energizes and invigorates

- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: deeply, physically relaxing

- Massage/ Aromatherapy: Go on, pamper yourself

- Yoga; a mixture of meditation and gentle movement and stretching

- Shiatsu; Energy balancing and deeply relaxing

Other methods and therapies include; Floatation tanks, Reiki, Indian head massage, Thai Chi and Reflexology. Do your research and try a few things and find the treatment most suitable for you.

Get Healthy

Food is a celebration of life, it's not just fuel. Take time to enjoy your meals and look after your health by eating a sensible balanced diet. If you need to, create new good eating habits. Ensure that your lifestyle changes to suit your real needs. Eat breakfast to kick-start your day, lay off the coffee and tea (the caffeine doesn't help you to relax) and if you're smoking more to help you calm down, they're bad for you, cut them out. You'll feel better, believe me.

Take a hot bath in the evening to relieve the tension in your body before going to bed and ensure that you get enough sleep. This is essential. You'll wake up feeling refreshed with more energy and able to function better throughout the day.

Remember to Enjoy Life

Every day, take time to do something that you enjoy.

Find something that makes you smile or laugh out loud. Laughter is the answer to stress, because it's hard to be stressed and anxious when you're having fun!