3 Tips to Manage Stress Over What You Cannot Control

Mass shootings, a chaotic political climate and general fear has become more commonplace in today’s society. It isespecially important to take good care of yourself so that you don’t get sucked into the abyss of fear and stop living life as the precious gift that it is. Whether you realize it or not, there are things you can do to start feeling more positive!

1. Turn off your TV and Social Media! I won't argue how hard it is not to get sucked into watching all of the different issues that go on everyday. I was noticing the other day feeling more and more sad and helpless watching the family of the shooting victims. How does being brought down help us? It doesn’t. In fact the more we watch television the worse we think the world is. My recommendation? Get out into your community! Go see what real people around you are doing and saying, have real face to face conversations! Things are not as bleak as the TV and social media make it out to be!
   

2. Concentrate on what you have the ability to change. We may not be able to change events that have already happened but we can help create future change. Look at how you speak to yourself and your family, is it with kindness? Go out into the community and volunteer, see how you can help at schools, or become more involved in local government. Too many people have lost the sense of community and it is a detriment to our children and to our own psyche. Stop wasting your time thinking about what you cannot control and start looking at what positive changes you can make for you and for your community!

3. Create a Stress Management Plan. It is so important to have your go-to ways to let off steam as stress comes around. These are not things you only do when you are stressed but also when things are feeling good. If you get into a good routine you will notice that you don’t stay down as long. I teach all of my students positive coping skills and many of them find immediate relief. One good tip is deep breathing. I teach square breathing (because it’s easy): Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and then hold for 4 seconds. Repeat as many time as it take for heart rate to go down. Guided Imagery/Meditation: Search youtube and you will find hundreds of guided meditations. Look for one that best suites what you need and try a few out to see what you like. Meditation: Sit straight with your eyes closed, hand on thighs, concentrating on the area just above your the middle of your eyes on your forehead and choose a positive word to repeat slowly (every 5 seconds of so). You can use music or just sit in silence for at least 5 minutes. Yoga: there are many different types so try them all! This practice has been a go-to for me during some of my worst moments in life. I make sure to practice at least once per week, if not more. Talking: find a good friend, therapist or coach to share what is on your mind. The more you hold things in the more stress you will give yourself. Positive Affirmations: we have more than 70,000 thoughts per day, so start your day with positive thoughts. Find 3-4 positive phrases to start your day with. You can find apps on your cell phone that can help you come up with some if you aren’t sure where to start. I use thinkup, but I am sure most of them are good. Eat Healthy: when you are stressed it’s easy to go for the bad stuff. Focus on nutrients and water intake, and drink your green smoothies!