{"id":964,"date":"2020-01-02T19:27:34","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T19:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bluefirebryanston.co.za\/wp\/?p=964"},"modified":"2020-11-03T06:16:32","modified_gmt":"2020-11-03T06:16:32","slug":"stress-anxiety-when-life-happens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluefirebryanston.co.za\/?p=964","title":{"rendered":"Stress & anxiety – When life happens"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Stress & anxiety - When life happens<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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2020 is proving to be a non-year and there is no rewind button!<\/p>

For almost all, every plan we had, every budget we made and most of our goals for 2020 have been affected, even derailed, by the worldwide pandemic resulting from the COVID-19 Coronavirus and the consequential national lockdown.<\/p>

Whether you were only affected by the highest, most stringent level in lockdown or remain affected all the way to the lowest level, we have all experienced stress and anxiety these past months.<\/p>

How are we coping with all this?<\/p>

TIP 1 – UNDERSTANDING IT\u2019S NOT YOUR FAULT<\/strong><\/p>

Understanding the roots of your anxiety is essential and also realising that it is simply not your fault are the first steps to moving away from its crippling effects on your life.<\/p>

Why is it not your fault?<\/p>

You are programmed to survive and you, like all of us, have a negative bias that keeps us alive and protects us from danger.<\/p>

This negative bias is therefore strong for good reason as it is a fundamental part of our survival. Maintaining this negative bias is therefore essential so that when we are confronted by a threat or trauma we have a strong resource of this energy to help us cope.<\/p>

However, this essential resource is constantly being triggered due to the pressures of modern life. 2020 for many just provided a situation of endless and\/or never ending triggers.<\/p>

So, for most, Cortisol (the stress hormone) is persistently being triggered and released into our bodies leaving many of us living in a constant state of fight or flight.<\/p>

This has developed into a pattern of automatic response and for most; we have now developed a habit of anxiety!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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TIP 2 \u2013 UNDERSTAND YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS POWER<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Your subconscious mind is very open and suggestible and you have a lot more control over it than you may think.<\/p>

In fact, you have complete authority over soothing anxiety and focusing on being calm and confident if you learn to communicate positively with your subconscious mind.<\/p>

Think of it like this;<\/p>

Your subconscious mind is like a small child and your conscious mind is the parent and that everything the parent says or does conditions a response of either fear or love in the child. So, in understanding this wouldn\u2019t you choose to be kinder and calmer to the child?<\/p>

Becoming more positive is not about changing who you are but about accessing a part of you that already exists.\u00a0 It is about tapping into your best self, the part that is free and lives moment to moment.<\/p>

This is the power of programming your subconscious mind to focus on love and not the fear that drives anxiety.<\/p>

TIP 3 \u2013 DISCOVER & APPLY A POSITIVE SELF-CONCEPT<\/strong><\/p>

The way you speak about your life, both in your own mind and to others, is essentially a way of creating your own story.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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WORDS HAVE POWER! The words that you use to describe yourself, your family, where you live and the work that you do are important as these words form the framework of how you feel about yourself.<\/p>

This is the story you tell yourself every second of every day and these positive or negative words have a huge impact on your daily life as you tell the story to yourself.<\/p>

Remember the small child?<\/p>

So as you tell your story, MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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First thing in the morning and last thing at night visualise yourself going through each day the way you wish to think, feel and behave. As humans, we are unique in our ability to IMAGINE.<\/p>

When you close your eyes and imagine something, your body will respond to the images in your mind as if the event were really happening.<\/p>

Each day acknowledge the GOOD that happened. Tell your friends and family all about the good in your day.<\/p>

The mind forms memories through experiences so to purposefully acknowledge positive events builds positive memories.<\/p>

STOP THE HABIT OF NEGATIVE THINKING!<\/p>

TIP 4 \u2013 START CARING FOR YOURSELF<\/strong><\/p>

The habit of practical self-care<\/a> is essential to implement when dealing with anxiety.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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TIP 5 – 16 SIMPLE WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS AND ANXIETY<\/strong><\/p>

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1. EXERCISE<\/p>

Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to combat stress as putting physical stress on your body can relieve mental stress.<\/p>

Exercise lowers the body\u2019s stress hormones such as Cortisol.<\/p>

Its why walking off your anger actually works!<\/p>

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2. CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTS<\/p>

Several supplements promote stress and anxiety reduction such as Omega-3 fatty acids and green tea.<\/p>

Some supplements can interact with medication or have side effects, so please consult with your doctor if you have a medical condition.<\/p>

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3. LIGHT A CANDLE<\/p>

Using essential oils or burning a scented candle may reduce your feelings of stress and anxiety.<\/p>

Some scents are especially soothing. Using scents to treat your mood is called aromatherapy.<\/p>

Several studies show that aromatherapy can decrease anxiety and improve sleep.<\/p>

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4. REDUCE YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE<\/p>

Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, black tea, chocolate and energy drinks.<\/p>

High doses have been proven to increase anxiety whilst many studies show that coffee can be health in moderation. In general fewer than five cups a day is considered moderate.<\/p>

People have different thresholds for how much caffeine they can tolerate so if you are anxious or jittery consider cutting back on your daily intake.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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5. WRITE IT DOWN<\/p>

One way to handle stress is to write things down. Make lists.<\/p>

REMINDER; Be sure to jot down what you are grateful for as gratitude for the positive things helps you focus on the positive.<\/p>

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6. CHEW GUM<\/p>

Chewing promotes blood flow to your brain and causes similar brain waves to those of relaxed people.<\/p>

Stress relief is greatest when you chew strongly.<\/p>

Chew gum or a healthier alternative like a carrot or celery stick.<\/p>

Avoid stress eating! Your favourite comfort food will lead to other reasons for stress like unwanted weight gain.<\/p>

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7. SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY<\/p>

One study showed that for women in particular, spending time with friends and children helps release Oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. This effect is called \u201ctend and befriend\u201d and is the opposite of the fight or flight response.<\/p>

Both men and woman benefit from friendship!\u00a0 Another study showed that persons with fewer social connections are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.<\/p>

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8. LAUGH<\/p>

It\u2019s hard to feel anxious when you are laughing. In the long term, laughter can improve your immune system and mood.<\/p>

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9. LEARN TO SAY NO<\/p>

You cannot control everything but some things you definitely can.<\/p>

Take control and learn to say NO more often especially over the parts of your life that are causing you stress.<\/p>

Be selective about what you take on!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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10. LEARN TO AVOID PROCRASTINATION<\/p>

Procrastination or putting things off can lead you to act reactively and scrambling to catch up. This can cause stress.<\/p>

Get into the habit of making a to-do list organised by priority. Give yourself realistic deadlines.<\/p>

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11. TAKE A YOGA CLASS<\/p>

Yoga has become a popular method of stress relief primarily due to increasing ones awareness of body and breath.<\/p>

It may also help lower Cortisol levels, blood pressure, heart rate and increase Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that is lowered in mood disorders.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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12. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS<\/p>

Mindfulness practices may help increase self-esteem which in turn lessens symptoms of anxiety and depression.<\/p>

Typical mindfulness activities include:<\/p>