Life can get very stressful for us if we allow it. Too much stress is never good. It has the ability to cause a lot of harm in your life and it can kill. Stress is one factor that leads to numerous health challenges including stroke.
Constantly being under a lot of stress can cause both physical and emotional issues such as headaches, stomach upset, high blood pressure, panic attacks, depression, etc.
So we have talked all about stress and the down side to it, but how can we avoid stress in our life?
Here are 16 practices of people who are less stressed. These practices can become habits you can also adopt to feel less stressed.
1) They understand that they cannot control everything
One way to easily get yourself stressed out is believing that you can control each and every outcome. If there is anything the year 2020 has taught as a whole is that plan as we can, we can’t really control everything.
There are things beyond out control, sometimes beyond the realms of every logical reasoning and the sooner we accept the more at peace we would become.
2) They practice constant gratitude
Gratitude makes you reflect on all that has happened, see the good in your present circumstances and appreciate them. Gratitude is never so easy, but when you give yourself to its practice, it does a whole lot of good. When you don’t see the good in anything, you will constantly be stressed.
3) They plan ahead
As much as we cannot control every outcome because sometimes there are forces beyond our control, it is great to at least have some sort of a plan.
It does not necessarily have to be written down, although it will be great to, but making a mental note of all you want to accomplish, be it in a day, week or year (no pressure), gives you something to work towards.
4) They understand everybody’s timeline is different
You would be putting yourself under unnecessary pressure, If you lose sight of the fact that you are a different individual, unique from everyone and should not be pressured by the timeline of accomplishment by others.
It’s great to be inspired by others, but don’t be pressured into wanting to achieve a certain thing by a certain time because someone else did same.
5) They take care of themselves
You cannot pour from empty. People who don’t get stressed have understood that taking care of themselves puts them in a better position to be of help to others, and brings out the best in them so they are habitually committed to practicing selfcare.
They take time off to fill up themselves and treat themselves with love.
6) They understand failure is not the end of the road
For any successful person you meet, if they are truly sincere and open with you, they will tell you that failure has been part of their success journey. You have to be part of people’s behind the scenes to fully understand the amount of setbacks that they have had to deal with, on their journey to greatness.
We all want to be great, no doubt, but people who don’t get stressed know and understand that it does come with its share of disappointment. What is most important is not allowing yourself to be defined by your moment of failures. Perfection is an illusion.
7) They know when to say NO
A lot of stress can come from not being able to say NO, and not making your needs a priority. Learning to say No will save you from a lot of added pressure because you are able to take on only that which you can.
Yes, it’s great to be of help to others. It’s great to always be the dependable one, the go-to person for everything, but don’t allow that become too much, because soon enough, you will be taking on more than you can and should, and you might not be as dependable again as you would love to, because the human body can only take so much before it begins to cry for help.
8) They sleep good
Sleep is good. Sleeps keeps you healthy and strong. It refreshes you, energizes you. Develop a proper sleep habit if you don’t already have one.
9) They try not overthink and overanalyze everything
This can be hard to do, but it is necessary if not being stressed is the goal. Overthinking makes you analyze and pick things apart. It leads to constant worry.
10) They talk
Society can sometimes shame you for sharing publicly, but if you want to avoid stress, it’s great to have someone in your corner you can share things with.
The burdens of life become less heavy when you have someone sharing them with you. Keeping your feeling and emotions inside of you will only add more stress.
11) They ask for help
You cannot do everything by yourself, you need help. Seek help. It does not make you look incompetent. It is perfectly Ok to ask for help from the right places.
12) They make mental health a priority
Mental health must be a priority to be able to live stress-free. If there is anything that is constantly taking a toll on your mental health, it is best to reduce or completely cut off from it.
13) They exercise
Exercise is a great way to relieve stress.
14) They have a healthy work life balance
You need to able to separate from work and have a healthy work life balance to avoid stress. Know when to take a break.
15) They eat healthy
A healthy diet can counter the effects of stress. It builds up the immune system and lowers blood pressure. The biological responses that are triggered by stress can be managed by the type of food you eat.
16) They have good money management skills
People who are less stressed have found a way to manage their finances properly. Even if you have all the money in the world, and you don’t know how to manage it, or make it work for you, it will stress you out. You will find yourself earning and still have a million and one debts. Having debts can be stressful.
