5 Simple Steps To Reduce Stress

I don’t know about you, but I have experienced quite a bit of stress recently between the political realm, holidays, family and everything else that is going on.

Plus the pressure I have experienced from the philosophy that I am NOT doing enough unless I am busy all the time! Where did I pick THAT up?? It seems that I have to be filling my life with business which often keeps me from taking care of myself, giving myself some downtime!

This tends to lead to a lot of stress, frustration, fatigue, and just general unhappiness.

Does this sound like you too? Do you even know how to relax and take some time for yourself anymore? Are you overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated or unhappy? Would you be willing to start caring for you again? It can have a huge benefit!

Here are a few things that I use for myself and am committing to do more of in the new year.

Step 1: Get Off The Phone

Yes! Do you really need to reply to a phone call or text within 20 seconds after it comes in? Do you really need to be on the phone every evening? Do you need to Google every question, movie, or comment? Put the phone down after 9PM.

And relax. Talk to your family. Take a walk. Read. Soak in the tub!

And if it’s too hard to go cold turkey, at least do it one or two nights a week! It can be so freeing!

Step 2: Get Off The Computer

Yes that too! Do you really need to surf Facebook, Pinterest, CNN or whatever your addictive website is? Could you consider giving yourself a time limit like 30 minutes to surf, then step away? Or decide no surfing after 8PM? And if you use your phone to surf, see step 1 ABOVE!!!

And again, if it’s too hard to go cold turkey, at least do it one or two nights a week! It too can be very freeing! See what the non-digitized world is like!

Step 3: Turn Off The News

If you are one of those people who watches and reads the news all of your waking hours, it’s time to stop or at least cut back on it.

Many people get very stressed about things that are beyond their control and the news tends to ask you to focus on all of that. It’s time for a break from that, so turn it off, or at least limit your exposure to it to once or twice a day and only for a short period of time each viewing.

Step 4: Breathe

It’s amazing how we tend to hold our breath or breathe shallowly when we are stressed.

So stop and take a few deep breaths. Now, close your eyes and take a few more. Slow your breathing down. Let the tension flow out as you breathe out. Now, breathe in calm and relaxation. Repeat a few more times. Better?

Step 5: Let Go

YES, let go of all of those things you are trying to deal with for everyone else that aren’t yours …. LET THEM GO!! We are caring people and take on so much for others in an attempt to deal with it for them, to carry their burdens, to heal it for them or just to try to understand why they have the thing that is bothering them.

You CAN let go of other people’s problems, their burdens, their illnesses … they aren’t YOURS so LET THEM GO!! It’s OK! They need to learn to deal with all of that themselves or they tend to bring all that stuff back – then you BOTH have it!! Well, that didn’t work for either of you, did it?

So let it go!! Just say, “These aren’t mine, bye bye!!!” and let all that weight and burden leave you! WHEW!!! How much weight did THAT lift off of your shoulders?!?

See the release tool Return to Sender below for really releasing other people’s stuff!

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So, there you have it, five simple ways to reduce stress.

Give one a try, or two better yet, do all five!!

You deserve it! Your body deserves it! And those around you deserve it too because when you are less stressed, it helps those around you to be more relaxed and less stressed too! It’s contagious!

Give it a try today!!

Want more? Get my Return To Sender tool here: