Stressed Out? 7 Non-Toxic Ideas To Chill Out And Be A Happier Person (Yeah – It’s Possible!)
Are you stressed out? I’ll admit life can be stressful at times.
Good Stress vs. Toxic Stress
According to WebMD, a little bit of stress is good. Good stress can help you be your best. It can help you perform better at an interview, focus more on an exam, or run faster in a race.
Stress also causes your heart to pump blood faster to your muscles in case you need to metaphorically flee from danger, which is good instinct.
However, if you experience stress on a regular basis, your heart doesn’t get used to those daily jolts to your system. This is a problem that may put extra pressure on your heart as well as cause a host of other issues, such getting sick more often.
While being stressed out isn’t good for your emotional, physical, and mental health, stress seems to be a normal part of life. It ebbs and flows just like waves in the ocean.
Let Me Be Your Fairy Godmother of Toxic Stress Relief
If you’re stressed out right now or headed in that direction, come with me on a quick journey through the things I do to help kick the stress from my life, at least for a little while.
#1 – Pay Someone Else A Compliment
If you’re able to say something nice to someone else, not only will it make the other person feel good, but it’ll make you feel good too. They’ll smile, enjoy the compliment and, most likely, return the favor.
Giving and getting compliments will help take your stress level down a notch.
#2 – Do Something You Really Want To Do
Read it again. Just so we’re clear it says do something you WANT to do, not something you HAVE to do or something you’re SUPPOSED to do.
What have you always wanted to do, but never had the time? Make the time now to fulfill one of your needs and recharge.
If you’ve never given much thought to what you want to do, think about it now. For the moment, forget about your responsibilities and obligations and focus on yourself.
You’ll feel satisfaction by doing something that gives you pleasure and that might help minimize your stress levels.
#3 – Get Off The Internet And Explore The Real World
The world is more than reading email, checking Facebook, and online shopping.
Get off your computer, put down your smartphone, leave your tablet on your night stand and go outside for a scenic walk, read a real book, or ride your bike. If you’re addicted to being online, start weaning yourself off slowly. Cut down your online time by 30 minutes and use that time to experience the great universe in which we live.
It’ll feel good to reconnect with the world and explore new things.
4 – Introduce Yourself To Your Neighbor
In this fast-paced world, it’s easy to forget there are real people out there. Start by forming solid relationships with the people around you. Get better acquainted with your friends, your family, and your neighbors.
Introduce yourself to one of your neighbors if you don’t know them. If you do know them, ask how they’re doing or what’s going on in their lives. Forming and developing relationships is what sustains us and has the capacity to enrich us and make us happy.
5 – Drink More Water
When I get stressed out, I have a tendency to overeat. What do you do when you’re stressed out? If you smoke, drink alcohol, or some other not so healthy activity, stop it.
Unless you’re aware of your water intake, most of us should be drinking more water. It’ll benefit every aspect of your life.
There are so many benefits to drinking more water, but this post is getting long so I’ll only mention a couple. Water will help keep your weight in check because it fills you up. Water also helps to keep your skin hydrated and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. What could be better than that, ladies?
6 – Wear Sunblock
Sunblock helps protect your skin from the sun. Not only will it help prolong your youthful appearance, but it may also help prevent painful sunburns and skin cancer, which can be a source of worry and stress.
And if you think you only need sunblock when it’s sunny out or when you’re at the beach, think again. You should wear sunblock everyday. Anytime you go outside and it’s light out, you should have sunblock on.
Mindful prevention is a great way to stay healthy and minimize your stress level.
7 – Don’t Try To Remember Everything
Stress often comes from forgetting things you need to do, such as what to buy when you go to the supermarket or remembering friends’ birthdays.
Instead of stressing out trying to remember something, grab a notepad. It can be a real one you can hold in your hand or you can also open up a note-taking app on your phone.
Once you have a designated spot where you can take notes, immediately write down those things that pop into your head so you don’t have to stress to try to remember them later on.
Being Stressed Out All The Time Is Toxic
Being stressed out isn’t fun. It’s not good for you or the people around you. I’m always on the hunt for ways to make my life easier, more convenient, and less stressful. That’s where the 7 stress-relievers above came from. They work for me. They might work for you too.
What stresses you out? What are the ways you reduce your stress level? Don’t be shy. I’d love you to share them in the comments below.
If you’d like to talk about what’s got you stressed out, join our Facebook group and spout off there.
Want more? Maybe you’d benefit from a private one-on-one session with me? We could talk through what’s bugging you and come up with strategies to help you manage your stress so you’re better able to deal it. It couldn’t hurt, right? Plus, for the moment I’m a lot less than a therapist and I have actual real-world experience.