If you have been keeping up with my blogs, you have had a chance to find out what some of the biggest stressors that we face in life are, and taken the mini-evaluation on your stress levels. Now, we are going to look at what you can do to combat stress and, hopefully, reduce its negative effect on your life.
Modern medicine does have a lot of ways to help you reduce stress and if you scored really low on the test you should consider discussing your stress levels with your doctor. Stress can cause all sorts of negatives in our body and our energy. A little stress can help keep you on your toes and helps to motivate you, but when the stress becomes detrimental and over-powering it is time to start dealing with it and get help when needed.
There are some basic life style changes you can make to help reduce stress in your life. If you are afraid of forgetting things – keep a list of things to do. If you find yourself always running out of time – get a calendar and start blocking out the time you have to do things, it will help you develop better time management skills which will help to reduce your stress levels. And, believe it or not, no is NOT a dirty word.
If you find yourself getting stressed, keep a tally of how many times you say yes and how many times you say no during the day…this is a good way to empower yourself that NO is an acceptable response to someone’s request. Many people who feel stressed out often feel isolated and unable to communicate their feelings to others. Working or your communication skills can help you cross the bridge and be more honest with yourself to know when to ask for help.
Not all of us can afford to take days off, got to a specialist, or spend an extra two days in bed. However, there are things you can do to help deal with stressful times in your life. There are two basic paths you can take to deal with stress: If you choose the path of modern medicine (and that is not a bad thing), there are medications and counseling to help you get through. While the help can be solid, many of the medications used have some difficult side effects and many people do not like to use them for that reason.
In alternative therapies there are a range of choices and practices to choose from. From reflexology to reiki, alternative therapies are gaining more and more acceptance and are often used in conjunction with western medical practice. Acupuncture, osteopathy, acupressure, herbalism, hypnosis, meditation, yoga and more are available to the individual to help lower stress. Of course not everyone can afford the services of these wonderful professionals, so here are some things you can do for yourself:
Meditation: No, I am not saying you have to turn into a Buddhist Monk and sit on a cushion in the Lotus position chanting Om-manna-padme-om. Meditation is purposeful thinking. You can meditate while dancing, while walking or running. Meditation can be as easy as picking one thing to think about and focusing on that for a while. You can find more information about different types of meditation at: http://www.drnikki.com/dr-nikki/meditation-modes/
Aromatherapy: For far more than just covering up the smell from last night’s fish tacos, aromatherapy can do a lot to help improve your mood, relax and relieve some of the stress. Essential oils are the best, and you can depend on scents like lavender, clary sage, chamomile, sandalwood, bergamot, and rosewood to help you relax and release the stress building inside.
Self-Massage/Hydro Focus: Yes, it does sound funny, doesn’t it? Well, it is actually a real thing. Try using a loofah sponge in the shower and gently rub the skin and using a soft pressure take the time to really experience the cleansing. Like the water running down the drain, mentally imagine the stress leaving your body, gently scrubbed away with that gentle massaging motion. Take your time and focus. This stress-buster is great to share with your sweetie!
Stress sucks! There is no other way to put it. However, we can take action ourselves to knock back the stressors in our lives with some counter-stress strategies and treatments. Check in later this week for more on how to lessen the stress in your life!
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Holding doctoral degrees in Divinity and Theology from the Esoteric Interfaith Theological Seminary, Dr. Nikki Judge is the executive director of Black Rose Spiritual Center. A gifted spiritual reader she has helped nearly 175,000 people in her career. Along with a good book and a purring cat Dr. Nikki enjoys getting out in the sun and fresh air of western Montana. You can visit her at www.
