The ball has dropped. The last of the holiday cookies are gone. It's time to get to work on those New Year's Resolutions. First on the list for many people is to lose weight, especially those new pounds brought on by the cookies. Don't forget about that mental weight though. The craziness of the holidays are behind us but you may still be feeling the lingering stress they brought with them, the headaches and fatigue hanging out in your brain's closet like that ugly Christmas sweater you somehow can't get rid of. It's a new year and it's time to lose that emotional weight.
Cut the Stress Calories
Like any diet, a mental weight loss diet starts with identifying where the stress comes from. There are the obvious culprits like work deadlines and bills with the added seasonal stress of getting back into routine. But there are little moments of stress that might be overlooked. Take the time to look at how you think of the stressors in your life. Do you explain them away as being temporary, like "Once the holidays are over everything will be fine?" Do you justify them as just part of how things are, such as "If it was fun they wouldn't call it work?" Do you blame the stress on others, like "the kids are really stressing me out?" Don't forget you also play a role in all of these stressors.
How do you find out what your stressors are? Try keeping a stress journal. Every time you feel stressed write down what caused the stress. Take note about how it made you feel both physically and emotionally. Make sure to recognize how you responded to the stress. Sometimes how we react only builds on our feelings of being overwhelmed. Finally, write down what made you feel better afterward. Doing all of these will help you find the big causes of stress in your life and how you cope with them.
Stress Exercise
Just like any weight loss plan has a work out, so does stress weight loss. It is how you cope with stress. But just like with exercise, some coping methods do more harm than good. Some of these include things like eating, smoking, drinking, or taking your frustration out on others. Make sure the way you deal with stress not only makes you feel better but is also better for you. Make sure you get enough sleep, exercise, and learn how to tell people "no."
One way of dealing with stress is to follow the Four A's:
- Avoid
- Alter
- Adapt
- Accept
Alter the stressor so it doesn't create as much stress. Be willing to compromise or change the environment so you feel more relaxed. If your life feels cluttered, choose one thing to organize and take control, whether it be a desk drawer, a kitchen cabinet, or the back seat or your car. Having that little space where you know where everything is can help keep you more organized and may reduce your stress.
Adapt yourself so you can take more control of the situation. Look at a long wait as a chance to have some quiet time to yourself or listen to music. Learn to see the big picture and maybe what seemed like such an epic event won't be such a big deal anymore.
Accept that sometimes things are the way they are. Some things are beyond our control. We can't control traffic or other people. Adapt to the situation however you can but don't worry if it's something you can't control.
Finally, just like every workout gives your body time to relax, make sure you give yourself that time too. Find something you can do every day that you enjoy and remember to laugh. Research has shown laughter has many physical and emotional benefits so find some room for humor in your life.
There's a long road ahead with the new resolutions and you'll find you can get them all completed a little easier if you can have your first one as live with less stress.
Source: www.helpguide.org
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