Stress Buster My Secrets
I would even wear my stress as a badge of honor. The strained shoulders, the fog in my head, the temper–all that seemed to be the inevitable accompaniment of a hectic life. I was operating on fumes and it was getting a toll on my health and happiness. I was aware that I needed something that would help me overcome that stress and not a quick solution.
I got myself against a wall and now committed myself to discovering what really works. This is not a book theory, this is the hard-as-iron-driv plexus that rescued me. Here are the tricks that turned my everyday life of disorder into some form of sanity.
My Wake-Up Call: Why I Also Had to Have a Real Stress Buster.
My limit was reached in one week when I had an extremely hectic week. I had several deadlines, personal obligations, and was hardly sleeping. In the morning, I had a tight feeling in my chest and a strong rush of dizziness, that I felt like I had to sit down.
This is when I understood that this could not be maintained. My body was compelling me to hear. I was no longer handling my stress, I was now eating it up. I understood that it was not a luxury that I had to find an effective stress buster, it was a matter of my survival.
The Stress Buster Basic Aid: My Breath.
The first and the most available tool that I have found was my own breath. It all stops being too basic, but it is a physiological game-changer. When stressed out, the breaths are shallow further supporting the fight or flight mechanism. I can trigger my nervous system to relax by deliberately changing my breath letting it know that it is safe.
The method that I use most is the 4-7-8 one:
Breath in silently by your nose counting 4.
Breath in a count of 7.
Breath out as much as possible, using your mouth, with a whoosh, 8 times.
I only do it three or four times and it is a kind of instant circuit-breaker to my anxiety. It is my secret weapon which I could use everywhere and at any moment.
Move Your Body, Quiet Your Mind: My Kinetic Stress Buster.
I also discovered that stress is not just in my mind but it is also a physical energy that is contained within my body. To release it, I have to move it. You do not have to enter into a strenuous two-hour exercise. In my case, consistency is always better than intensity.
My movement menu includes:
Ten Minute Walk: I go outside, leave my phone behind, and simply walk. The fresh air, the movement of the light and the change of scenery is a potent refresh.
Dance Party for One: Sometimes, when I can no longer take it, I put on one fast song and dance as no one is watching. You can not be stressed when you are screaming your favourite song and shaking your body off.
Light Stretching: I concentrate on the places that I have tension such as my neck, shoulders, and jaw. Even a neck roll or shoulder shrug should work miracles.
The Digital Detox: My Unplugging Routine.
My phone became one of my key causes of stress. The never-ending scroll, the unstopping pings, the comparison trap, it was a 24/7 machine of anxiety. I chose to establish boundaries. I have an online de-stressing routine:
No Phone for the First Hour: I do not look at my phone on the first hour of my day. It is mine, my thinking and my coffee, and the demands of the world do not interrupt.
Planned Do Not Disturb: My phone is set to switch on to Do Not Disturb after 8 PM. This safeguards my relaxation period and sleep.
App Limits: I provide myself with rigid time constraints on my most dependable social media applications. At a certain point, the app loops and I have to be attentive.
This did not come easy initially but the space in the mind that was recovered was marvelous.
My Brain Dump Process: The Stress Buster Pen and Paper.
My psyche is more of a browser with 100 tabs open. I made them all up and it was called the brain dump. I carry a notebook every evening and I write all that comes to my mind. It’s not pretty or organized. It is a crude download of anxieties, agenda, thoughts, and disappointments.
It is a physical process of writing that helps me to get it out of my cyclical thoughts and onto the page. After it is out, my brain is free to rest. It feels as though I have offloaded the mental load to the paper and it is one of the best cognitive stress buster methods that I ever employed.
Nurturing My Micro-Moments of Joy.
Lastly, I got to know that it is not only about reducing the bad when it comes to combating stress but rather being proactive to increase the good. I have deliberately threaded little happy things all through my day. These are not dramatic gestures; they are just mere enjoyments that bring me back to the present.
A few of my favorites:
Taking the initial taste of my morning cup of coffee.
Taking at least a full minute to pet my dog, touch his soft fur and relax, and inhale his calm.
Playing a stinking candle as I work.
Relaxation: 15 minutes on a funny podcast.
These are the times that serve as an antidote of low grade stress, and remind me that life is filled with happiness even with my duties.
My New Relation with Stress.
My experience taught me that a magic bullet does not exist. The final stress reliever is a customized kit that you have access to all through your day. In my case, it is a mixture of breath, movement, cyber boundaries, mind clearing, and deliberate cheerfulness.
The stress is no longer in charge of my life. I possess the authority and the feasible plans to control it. Though my poor self, furious as it is, might discover this composure, I am fully sure that you may, also.