What to do when you feel stressed
Esther Cole,
5th Nov 2019
Tags:
Life
Blog
Gratitude
Mental health
Ever heard the phrase too blessed to be stressed?
I have a lot in my life to be thankful for. I have a warm bed to sleep in every night, a job, amazing family and friends, and I’ve never gone a day without being able to eat.
It's so important to be thankful for what we have. But even with all these blessings, sometimes I find that life still gets on top of me.
So here are a few tips and ideas of things to do when you’re starting to get stressed.
Write it down
Most of the time, it's not one big thing that is getting me down, but loads of little things that are on my mind.
Writing them down and taking the time to sit and reflect, even for just 10 minutes, really helps me to calm down, and feel more relaxed and happier.
It also helps me to put things that I need to do in priority order. So then I can schedule to do them in a way that makes me most productive.
Exercise
I'm not the biggest fan of exercising. But regardless of this, I make sure I do some form of exercise because I know it’s important for me to be active and healthy.
I have found that exercising helps me release any frustration that I have for the day.
If I'm honest, the main reason I don't enjoy it is because I find it really boring. But recently, my friends invited me to do some exercise classes at a trampoline park. I had so much fun, and I didn't even think about the fact that I was exercising.
Find an exercise you enjoy, and I promise you'll feel so much better for it.
Talk to someone
Sometimes a cup of tea and a good chat can be helpful.
Talking to someone who you trust about what you're feeling, and what’s causing you stress, can be relieving. And when life gets really tough, don't be afraid to speak to a professional.
This year I went through something really hard. And even though I have an amazing group of family and friends, I decided to be brave and get some counselling.
At first, I felt a bit nervous. Like maybe getting counselling meant I was weak. But I actually realised that asking for help is really really brave. It has helped me so much.
Get some good sleep
If you’re a night owl like me, you’ll know that bedtime is the worst when you have a lot on your mind.
I came across some great podcasts and playlists on Spotify, which are designed to help you quiet your mind and drift off. Reading a couple of chapters of a good book is also helpful for this.
Try your best to stay off your phone, as studies have shown that too much blue light before bed can actually be really unhelpful.
Try and get between 7-9 hours of sleep. This will help you wake up feeling happy and refreshed.
Give it all to God
In the bible, Philippians 4:6 says, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’
God loves it when we talk to him. And I feel so much better and stronger when I give all my worries over to him.
I love that the verse says ‘with thanksgiving’. Having a grateful heart, and focusing on what you have, is so powerful.
You can pray and talk to God anywhere. I love to intentionally make time every day to just sit, reflect, and listen to him.
I recently bought a journaling bible, which has more space around the text for you to get creative and draw/write down your thoughts and feelings. I’ve found that doing this is a great way to connect with God and give him my worries.
