by Athena Goodlight

Created on: February 10, 2009   Last Updated: February 24, 2009

Stress is a fact of life that everyone has to deal with. Because the world is a merry-go-round of changes we are regularly faced with situations that create stress. Face the fact the stress is here to stay and it gets worse as you grow older. The question is: How are you going to cope with stress in a sane and sensible manner?

Organize

You body has an immediate response to something or someone that triggers off an emotional reaction, producing a mental or physical upheaval. Determine your own "stress level" by evaluating your reaction to a known stress producing situation. You may need to change lifestyles, or a set of friends. You may need to remove some activities that are making you tense and anxious.

Perhaps you are an overachiever who's always reaching for higher goals. Are these goals necessary or realistic? Have you prepared yourself enough with the time, skills and factors needed to achieve these goals?

Control your reactions to situations you can't avoid. By determining in advance how much stress you're going to permit yourself to feel.

Accentuate the Positive

Do you know that laughing releases the body's painkillers (endorphins) that allow the body to start healing itself? When you're in a happy frame of mind, little receptors in the brain actually change the chemistry of the body and make it feel pleasant. Acquire the habit of feeling happy most of the time. The optimistic outlook in life will help you handle stress effectively.

When you experience something terrible, think back over your successes. This is the time to restore your self-confidence and bolster your self-image. Reflect on the times in the past that you have coped with a loss or failure and survived. Practice keeping your mind on pleasant things rather than the distressing ones. A German proverb says: "Imitate the sundial's ways. Count only the pleasant days."

A Change of Scenery will do you good.

Take time out everyday to do something you really enjoy. Read a magazine or book, take a nap, go for a walk or run around the block, walk your dog, or chat with a friend. You can physically go to a place that could soothe your jangled nerves. Sit for a while by yourself and reflect on what it is you want and how to get it.

You can also take a mini-vacation for a few minutes every day. In your mind, you can retreat to some beautiful place you enjoy going to. Calm your nerves and straighten out your perspectives. Visualize yourself achieving what you want to achieve.

Physical exercises also have psychological benefits. When you have set up a routine, you'll find that exercises reduce tension and relieve stress.

Both your mind and body need these little recesses that will refresh and restore your equilibrium. Doing something you enjoy which is unharmful makes you feel better which, in turn, reduces anxiety or stress. We may not be able to control stress-producing situations, but we can control our reactions to them. Be in charge rather than letting someone or something else take charge of you.

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