What do you do when you are stressed?

The last year has been a blur with the many changes and challenges that all of us have experienced.Whether it was helping your children learn from home, trying to also work from home yourself, trying to wear a mask when shopping and so many things.Collectively we all have weathered this storm, just in different boats! As we look to the New Year, it would be normal to have fear, worry and stress about what is to come. 

Sometimes in the face of these challenges people may develop struggles with irritability, issues with relationships, trouble sleeping, not feeling like eating, and no energy or motivation. Other people may feel like their heart is racing, or their hands quiver and they have so many thoughts it feels like those thoughts will never stop. 

Anxiety and stress are normal. This is the reaction of our body when we have been exposed to and experience stress. Repeated and ongoing stress leads to longer term difficulties from our body and mind and it will come forward in ways that some can’t predict, explain or figure out how to deal with it. 

What do you do when you are stressed? There are lots of options and I have a list of things that I do to help in an ongoing manner but also in the moment. My list includes: reading, gratitude journal, going for a walk, a cup of tea and listening to my favorite music. 

These are all great strategies for helping manage stress. When I think of a New Year, I stop to consider editing my list of strategies. I don’t necessarily want to add anything, and I still stop to consider if there is an opportunity to support myself with coping strategies that I already enjoy. 

Write down your list. What do you do daily, weekly or monthly that helps. Maybe there is something that is part of your routine everyday you would miss if it did not happen. I would miss my morning tea and definitely time working out. 

I would look at the two self care priorities and consider in the new year, how I will support myself with these activities. So I find a *new* favorite mug, or another special tea to drink. I might consider taking a different exercise class at the gym, or changing my training to work on the goal of flexibility. 

I find small shifts, little boosts to the routine, support and sustain the current methods of taking care of yourself. Taking a quiet moment to consider how you take care of yourself is as important as actually doing self care. Putting yourself first, and taking the time to learn new strategies can be sustaining and helpful in managing stress and anxiety. 

If you are interested in learning more about anxiety, how to help cope and manage, come and meet with me. I will help you learn which strategies have been most successful for you and to learn and create new strategies.

Enjoy one breath, moment at a time and savour the moments during this time of year.

Take Care, 

Jodi Lynn