Stress is a combination of thoughts, feelings and physical responses showing in no uncertain terms, that something’s off.
It’s a part of modern day life; the culprit for dismay and worry. It brings feelings of overwhelm, inability to cope, being out of your comfort zone and doubting yourself.
Accepting stress as an ever present experience in everyday life gives space to think about using it as something to learn and grow from. It impacts people in many different ways, yet there are ways to reduce the impact stress has on you.
To build a more resilient mindset to stress, it’s about instilling willpower and willingness to embrace the elements so that when it comes, you know you can grow and flourish through each experience.
Jennifer Isles is a Life & Wellness Coach who empowers ambitious overthinkers to slow down, reconnect with themselves and focus on the essential elements to live well and thrive. Here are Jennifer's 5 ways stress can help you to thrive:
When things feel out of control, get in control
There’s a lot going on when you feel stressed. Bring awareness to what’s happening in your body, physically and mentally.
If you perceive a threat in a situation, this triggers your stress response (also known as ‘fight or flight’) which releases adrenaline. This stimulates blood flow and increases your heart rate, the sense of urgency, rapid breathing and energy in your body.
The key is to minimise these stressors and bring your response down so you can think clearly and control your reaction to stress. Calm your nervous system through breathing techniques and grounding into your body, as this will help you to think logically about the current situation.
Retrain your brain and stick to the facts
Identify what your current thinking patterns and usual coping mechanisms are. Your internal narrative may well be different from the reality and it’s all too easy to get consumed by your thoughts. Try to differentiate your thoughts from what’s actually happening.Ask yourself – what’s true about this situation? What are the facts?
If you let yourself engage in negative thoughts that don’t align with the reality, it feeds the worries of stress. To better manage stress aim to get out of your head and stay present with what’s true, this will encourage a sense of optimism and positive action. Your brain will learn from each experience and over time, develop new ways of thinking and therefore, coping.
It’s all learning
Every situation is an opportunity for growth! Instead of giving in to how it is, try and think about how you can respond differently and engage a problem-solving mindset. How can you handle the situation? What is going to help you in this moment?
Thinking about different outcomes, options and actions boosts creativity and performance. Facing your fears around any stressor will develop your skills to be able to cope and build confidence in your own ability.
A break to realign
Stress is a signal to listen to. It’s a reminder to be more caring and connected to your needs. Consider where things might need to change in how you look after yourself and the habits that support your wellbeing.
So often when stressed, your basic needs are the first to slip so realign with things that make you feel good and find a routine that works for you. Think about getting enough rest, exercise to improve your mood, meditation, journaling, your food and of course, relationships and support.
The importance of boundaries
Protecting your own needs is critical to showing up as your best in all areas of your life. How can you thrive if you’re running on empty? Consider the stressors in your life and what’s at the core, it could be the sheer volume of work, the lack of time, demands from others, pressure you put on yourself, the list goes on.
Recognise the impact stress is having on you and how you can create the right changes to help yourself. Putting boundaries in place helps to manage the juggle of demands, they prevent you from taking on too much and will help you remain focused on what’s important to you, away from the overwhelm and stress.
