Everyone has a different level of stress or anxiety in life. Sometimes it isn’t the stressor itself but the way we perceive that stress. One thing that anxiety has in common with most people it is the fear of the unknown. Anxiety is rooted in fear.
Stress management is an essential self-care practice that many people don’t realize is needed on a regular basis. When you notice negative thought patterns appearing – take note of what works for you and what doesn’t. Become an observer of the self. Take a warm bath. Drink some relaxing tea. Read a book. Unwind with a massage. Give yourself a foot massage. Listen to some calming music. There are tons of stress management tools out there and can be as simple or complex as you need. Stress management is an aspect of self-care. Find what works for you and what doesn’t and create your own calm. Maybe you need to do yoga five times a week to feel balanced and centered, maybe you need 15 minutes of meditation every single morning. Maybe you haven’t found what works for you yet and that’s okay too – keep searching, keep exploring your inner world and find what external factors influence you in a positive way. There is a right formula for everyone – be your own scientist and experiment with different techniques, do your research, and learn from the results.
Sometimes the solution to our problems might not be as simple as journaling or practicing mindfulness, some issues are deeply rooted in our thought patterns, behaviors, and daily habits. Dive deeper into what your root causes of stress, anxiety, or depression are and explore how you can resolve these issues. If something in your life isn’t making you happy and no matter what self-care or stress management methods you use it doesn’t change – then the change may need to come from the problem itself. This is where self-study is this very aspect of creating your own calm because you can unravel the many layers of your mind to find out what is truly bothering you or causing you repeated struggles. At the end of the day you have options and can make the choices that lead you to feeling better.
Examples of creating your own calm:
Let it go – breathe deeply into your body to release stress and tension with breath work practice
Cultivate gratitude – make a daily list to generate feelings of positivity with what you already have in your life
Yin Yoga – tune inwards as you take slow meditative stretching yoga poses holding for long periods of time
Relaxation tea – find teas that have a calming effect such as Kava or chamomile
Meditate – bring your attention to the present moment with every breath