by June Sera

Created on: January 27, 2007   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

Anyone can be affected by stress. Stress doesn't care how much money you make, where you live, what your job is, or what you've been through. Stress will find you. While it can seem easy to swallow a daily dose of Stress-Be-Gone available at your local medical doctor, sometimes this isn't always the best solution. I have been down the medicated road myself, and I'm here to confess that it was not the solution to my problems. While medication can provide a good bandage, it takes a little more effort, and maybe a change in your point of view, if you really want the stress to disappear. When faced with a stressful situation, try following these steps:

1. Take a few very deep breaths. Breath in through your nose, taking in as much air as you can, hold it for a moment, then breath back out through your nose, and hold again for a moment. Do this a few times. If you feel dizzy, just slow down, you don't want to hyperventilate! Oxygen is a very important element for our bodies. Taking deep breaths like this will not only regulate your blood pressure (which can go up in stressful situations), but it also forces oxygen through our bodies, and also into our brains which can help us think more clearly.

2. Once you are sure that you are calm, think about what is really bothering you. For example, some people get stressed out during rush hour traffic. If someone cut you off, or wouldn't let you into a lane, it is important to decide if you are really upset with the person who wouldn't let you in, or if you are upset because you are afraid you won't be able to get to where you are going in the time you had planned. Often we lay the blame of stress on other people when it's really our own fear that is causing the stress.

3. When you have identified the cause, look for the reason. Using the above example, if you are upset or stressed because you are afraid of not arriving at your destination, ask yourself why you are afraid of that, or even if it's a rational fear. What will happen if you don't arrive on time? Is arriving on time worth the stress of the situation?

4. If you are still stressed, take yourself out of the situation for a moment. If you are on the road, pull over. If you are having an argument with a spouse or a friend, walk away for a few minutes, and come back when you are calm.

Obviously, these tips are most useful when actively faced with difficult situations. But practice makes perfect! If you can practice them in the simplest of instances, like when dinner doesn't come out perfect, or the kids talk back to you, or even if you have a frustrating co-worker, eventually it will become second nature and you should be able to handle most situations with ease.

In the meantime, try making a few lifestyle changes. Healthy diet and exercise are important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and should make it easier to handle stress. It is also important to include things in your life that bring you pleasure, such as reading, playing an instrument, or spending time with friends. Also, be sure to take as much time out of your day as you can to enjoy the world around you. Sometimes just physically smiling for no reason can brighten your mood, as well as the moods of the people around you!

And always remember, life is never as bad as we make it seem. There is always goodness to be found in every situation, we just have look for it.

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