BALANCE: TIPS FOR MAINTAINING STRESS

Stress is a real and serious part of life. It loves sneaking in when you least expect it and totally twerking you out. Some people deal with stress emotionally and some manifest it physically. There are phases of life where all we feel is stress and there are times when all we hear is the ocean waves crashing at the shore, the laughter of our close friends, and the weight of the world taking a break from our shoulders.

Stress can be tricky. You can be under loads of stress and not even realize it until you're so mentally and physically worn down you have to call in sick...or you just don't have the umph to do what you love anymore. Stress can cause burnout, sickness...wrinkles! It's a nasty thing. SO, how do we maintain the stress in our lives? How do we recognize when it's taking up residence and kick it to the curb before we're overcome? While I'm NOT an expert and have definitely been dealing and fighting off my fair share of stress, especially recently, I've come across some learnings that are great to get yourself back on track and work toward balancing stress levels in life.

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TIPS FOR MAINTAINING STRESS
1. What Are Your Stressors? ---> One of the biggest ways to eliminate stress is to recognize what's stressing you out! Spend time with yourself or with a trusted friend to talk through your stress and pinpoint the things that are causing anxiety. Once you recognize those stressors, talk through ideas on how to eliminate them.

2. Don't Stop Taking Care of Yourself. ---> Out of all of the advice I can offer, this one is the biggest! Don't stop doing the things you need to do in order to care for yourself. Make sure you are getting PLENTY of sleep, eating healthy, exercising, showering, dressing yourself up, doing your chores. Keep yourself and your surroundings in a good place. This will give you the energy you need to fight off stress and pull yourself together. It will also help ward off any sickness that stress can cause.

3. Take a Break. ---> Sometimes stress is your body's way of saying, "Enough already! Let's rest!". Even if you have an endless to-do list, set aside some time to decompress, do something that makes you feel refreshed and peaceful. Give yourself a set amount of time, allow yourself to enjoy that time and then get back to getting the things done that you need to. If you don't listen to your body's warning signs, you can get caught up in some major burnout.

4. Step Back & Reorganize. ---> Stress can come from chaos or not having a full understanding of something. Take a step back from your stressor and consider ways it could be better understood and organized. Maybe you're entire home is a mess and your need an inspirational space to move forward? Take some time to clean, get yourself in a good place and approach your stressor from a new angle.

5. Break it Down Step-by-Step. ---> If your stress is related to a project or certain action item, break it down step-by-step. Make lists, schedules, and delegate what you can. If you don't have to own the entire project, request help from others. What do you really need to accomplish now and what can you schedule for another time?

6. Meditate//Pray. ---> Get your mindset in the right place. Spend time in quiet, praying or meditating. Don't let your mind spin out of control with stressful emotions and thoughts. Get ahold of yourself and encourage yourself with uplifting words.

HELPFUL STRESS RESOURCES
Meditation is the Best Tool to Fight Stress
Why Stress Management is Important for your Health

What are some of your helpful tips and resources on maintaining stress? Please share below!