Strategies for having a happy, purposeful life.
Anxiety and stress are byproducts of today’s hustling lifestyle. Mental health is an important part of the whole well-being. Post covid the rate of mental health disorders increased rapidly. According to a study conducted by Yale University, stress can accelerate the biological clock they named it “GrimAge”. This means stress and anxiety can cause you to age faster.
In everyday life we all have to go through some ups and downs, there is a possibility of an unwanted clash between you and your co-worker or there is someone in the family who is not well physically or a pending project which has to be completed before time. All these undesired things make you anxious and stressed. According to research conducted by the American Psychological Association when you are anxious, you are worried and tense and there may be some physical changes too like increased blood pressure. There are two kinds of anxiety: normal anxiety and anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is complex and you need to consult a doctor for proper treatment. In this post, I will discuss how to manage everyday stress and anxiety so let’s start.
- Stay in touch with your support system: you all have someone or a group of genuine, reliable people who understand you and support you or give you valuable insights in your time of need. Create a group of people who play the role of your support system. you can define your support system mentally without any buzz. And this support system could be anyone; they could be your parents, siblings, friends, or members of extended family on social media, your professional adviser, or your spiritual Guruji. Make a list of such people who are positive, helpful, and trustworthy, and stay in touch with them. At the time of stress having someone with positivity is helpful. With them, you can share your feelings you can ask for a solution to a certain problem. When you have someone who understands you and listens to your thoughts and desires.
- . Prioritize the well-being of your mind and emotion: life is a roller-coaster ride, you have to climb mountains and traverse the valley. Life is an adventure, there are ups and down, light and dark. So to experience life to the fullest you have to take care of your mind, body, and soul. Because these are the channels through which you experience your life. Your mind is constantly impacted by the world around you. Sometimes these impacts are positive, sometimes negative. Sometimes your mind dwells in the future, sometimes in the past. There may be something that overwhelms you, excites you, or triggers you. You have to take care of your mind and your emotions. You have to change your perspective and shift your thoughts from negative to positive. Let go of thoughts or feelings of negativity, guilt, or uneasiness.be the driver of your life, and prioritize your own well-being. You can enhance your mindset, and perspective toward life by reading great books. You can experience inner well-being and calmness through meditation, mindfulness, and living in the present. You can start meditation with the beginner guide available on youtube or on any podcasting application then you can opt for advanced meditation.
3. Twist your physical muscles with regular activities: your body, mind, and soul, all are interconnected. Your state of mind can impact your physical health and your physical health can impact your state of mind. So for having a sound state of mind and happy stress-free life indulge yourself in some regular physical activity. Do some physical work, go on a hike with friends, or opt for a daily brisk walk of half an hour in the early morning or in the evening. You can go for cycling, swimming or do yoga. Going for stretching exercises could also be a good choice for you. If you have sound physical health you would have sound mental and emotional health too. If you are someone with a hectic lifestyle and don’t have time for daily exercises or brisk walks go for it at least three times a week. You can throw your attention and energies into doing something meaningful so that you are left with no time to worry or dwell in the future or wonder in the past.
4. Choose food rich in nutrition: eating a balanced diet is very good for managing anxiety and stress. The level of happy hormones such as dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins increases when you include food rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Don’t be too picky while eating. Try to include all nutrients required for the proper functioning of your body and mind. Include fresh vegetables, fruits, whole cereal, sprouts, eggs, and milk in your daily diet. Stay hydrated with 7 to 8 glasses of water. Never skip your breakfast and be less dependent on instant food/fast food.
5. Be at peace with yourself: sometimes people look for perfection in everything they do and get stuck in the vicious cycle of stress. Perfection is a myth, do your best and leave the topic. I am not saying don’t aim for the best, all I am saying is don’t be hard on yourself to always be perfect. Keep working on yourself, and on your skills, and evolve every day by reading and experiencing life through relationships. Curb the feeling to control everything instead go with the flow. Consider these points to reduce stress naturally.
6. Have a set goal or purpose in life: have you ever wondered what is your life’s purpose? setting a goal to achieve or a purpose is very important to live a stress-free, happy life. having a life purpose is like having a reason to wake up every morning. Sometimes living meaninglessly also causes tension and anxiety. Now the question is how to get rid of such anxiety. The answer is very clear: find a purpose. Your goal could be a healthy and fit body, a sound social life, attaining higher spiritual goals, being responsible toward your physical environment, eradicating illiteracy, or setting up a million-dollar company. Your purpose could include anything in the area of your interest or passion.
6. Be a man/woman of service: helping someone in need has an immense soothing effect on your mind and soul. You feel inner satisfaction and peace. At the time when you are stuck, feeling down or depressed, helping others shift your attention from you to someone else. Helping others instill a kind of positivity and a sense of purpose and you feel empowered within. Actually, by helping others, you help yourself from difficult feelings.
7. Stay away from negative influences: have you ever noticed, being around some people automatically makes you feel highly motivated, happy, and cheerful while some people turn your zeal and zest down? Surround yourself with the people who elevate your state of mind, and choose positive people to surround yourself with. With the expansion of social media, the area of the extended family has increased, and the habit of mindlessly scrolling and consuming endless content can also increase the level of stress and anxiety. You can get rid of anxiety simply by unfollowing useless accounts.
8. Decrease alcohol and caffeine intake: worry and tension could be the result of too much intake of tea and coffee, so curb the intake of extra tea and coffee, and drink it in limitation. Too much intake of alcohol also has adverse effects on mental and physical health so if possible skip it for sound mental health.
9. Find your triggers: pay attention to them, and identify what triggers you. Is it your work, certain people, situations, or something else? Try to journal your thoughts and find patterns, take time and self-reflect, and deliberately try to calm your anxiety. Also, try distractions to divert your attention toward something which you enjoy. It could be a piece of music, a podcast, or something else.
10. Talk to someone close to you: you can talk to someone about your overwhelming feeling they can help you. Sometimes you can calm yourself down by speaking about your feelings or tension to someone who cares about you and understands you.
11. Try aromatherapy: essential oils along with other natural plant extracts are used in aromatherapy to relieve stress and anxiety as a part of holistic healing treatment in improving the mental and physical health of a person.
You can also try lavender oil to calm yourself down.
12. Find time to play, laugh, and relax: unwind yourself by laughing more, practicing positivity, mindfulness, and playing. Going out with friends on the weekend, and getting involved in the social get-together would also help you in coping with anxiety. Going outside and playing outdoor games has immense power to change your mood instantly.
13. Take sound sleep of 8 hours: because of today’s hustling lifestyle and excessive use of social media and other communication people skip good sleep. Your body needs rest to replenish all necessary stamina and energy. So for having good physical and mental health take proper sleep.
14. Never skip breakfast: you can consider breakfast as the most important food because, after a fast of a whole night, the blood sugar level of your body drops which tends to increase the stress hormone cortisol. So to keep cortisol levels in check, have a healthy breakfast every morning at a proper time.
Takeaway:
In the era of too much competition and a hustle-oriented lifestyle, mental health issues have increased rapidly. So now taking care of your mental health became too important.
By considering the above-mentioned points you can manage your anxiety and stress in a simple but effective way. Be mindful, do deep breathing whenever needed, have some real, trustworthy friends to hang out with, have a nutritious diet, exercise daily, set realistic goals, and take action to achieve those goals.
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Thanks,
Aarti
