Stress can either push you forward or hold you back. In certain instances, stress can paralyze you and even take over your life. Scary right? It is a fact and in this world, we are in right now…it is everywhere.
People can be stressed out for a million reasons and I’ve experienced it firsthand around 5 years ago. I wasn’t spared of the same stress people are battling with day in and out these days.
Nobody knew I was stressed back then because I was really good at hiding it, plus I always kept a poker face. I never told anybody about it so everyone around me thought I was in a good place.
Some even envied my situation because they thought I was this person who was turning everything into gold. I was managing a couple of business I’ve started from nothing and I was on top of my game coaching the best women’s basketball team in my country.
Despite all the good things happening for me on the outside, stress was eating me up on the inside. I couldn’t sleep because I had so many things to deal with the next day and answer to so many people just to keep myself afloat.
It was the lowest point in my life and I didn’t know what to do back then. Literally, stress was taking over my life and it felt like I was drowning from it all.
Looking back, I never knew I’d be able to surpass the stress that almost caused me to give up on everything. So how did I turn my life around to living a stress-free life now?
Read on and apply these simple life hacks to your own situation and see amazing results guaranteed.
1. Take yourself off the equation.
When I say this, I don’t mean you are escaping from the situation you’re in. Most times, it is good to see the whole thing from the outside looking in. This allows you to have a different perspective, as a result, you are able to come up with different solutions to deal with the situation.
This gives you the chance to just breathe and clear your mind as well.
2. Acknowledge that stress can only affect and control you if you let it.
Stress is a manifestation of your thoughts which all stems from your powerful mind. I always remind myself and people around me, that the mind is this little devil inside that can play tricks on us without us knowing.
Control your mind and stress will bow down on you like a loyal dog.
3. Prepare, organize, and schedule everything.
Pull out your calendar and your note pad. Start planning out your days ahead. Be as detailed as possible, even to the point that you list down things by the hour to make sure you don’t miss anything.
This allows you to organize your day before it even starts, all you have to do is follow it because you already have a game plan, to begin with.
Adapting this habit of scheduling everything eliminates unnecessary stress that might come your way such as arriving late, forgetting to do something, and not being prepared with things that can happen along the way.
4. Tackle problems or tricky situations one at a time.
Stress sneaks in and eventually takes over when we feel overwhelmed. Sometimes we are so eager to solve everything all at once which is always counterproductive.
Again…take a step back, prioritize what needs to be tackled first and go down your list one at a time. It is now how fast you can deal with these, it’s how effective you do so.
5. Learn to let go.
Feelings are such a bitch sometimes. It screams out from the inside that it makes us do things we most often regret. It’s not to say that we should dismiss or suppress our feelings, but we also have to learn it go.
It is for the best…let go of unnecessary baggage caused by these feelings because if not, feelings can affect our thoughts, and thoughts will affect our actions.
6. Block off the noise.
Everyone has a say on everything these days because of social media. Unplug and block off the noise. Whatever you do or decide on, people will have an opinion on whether you like it or not.
At the end of the day, it is your life…don’t let others dictate how you should live it. Don’t live your life to please anyone. Let go of toxic people too.
7. Create a mind map of your dreams.
It is very helpful to anchor yourself to something you hold dear and true to yourself such as a dream. Life will not be always a straight path so when things get rough, you have a solid compass to go back to remind you why you are where you are.
This allows you to push and move forward despite struggles and inevitable circumstances. Without it, you’ll just be a lost soul and you don’t want that.
8. Feed your mind, body, and spirit.
Read, watch or listen to self-development books. Be a student of life and keep learning so you can continue to grow and be a better person for yourself and for others.
Take care of your body through exercise and good food. You only have one body, and it is your only home so make sure it is always in good shape and working condition.
Meditate and feed your spirit with gratitude and mindfulness. It’s so easy to be swayed by the tides of everyday life that sometimes we end up on the wrong shore and it’s too late. Keep yourself grounded.
9. Make yourself happy.
Do something that you love and makes you happy. It doesn’t have to be grand. As long as it puts a smile on your face and gives you a sense of happiness from within, that’s all that matters.
Try something new, go travel, be with your true friends, celebrate, do something silly.
10. Have your alone time.
Sometimes rest and sleep are not enough especially with the everyday beating we face within this lifetime.
It is equally important to have our alone time, to just pause and reconnect with ourselves. Reflect and prepare for what’s coming ahead.
Take time in silence. Most times in nothing, we create something magical.
Remember that stress is only a state of mind. There are plenty of ways to control and hack it. You only have one life so don’t let stress take over it. You deserve to live a stress-free life.
