If there’s one thing we all have, it’s stress.  Stress is an inevitable part of life.   It can come from major life changes such as starting a new job or from the daily hustle and bustle of work or school.  How can you more effectively cope with stress?  Here are some tips to help you manage your stress.

Shift your perspective

Sometimes we can’t change the stressors in our lives but what we do have control over is our thoughts about our stress.  Shift your perspective on stress from viewing it as an overwhelming obstacle with no solutions to viewing stress and specific stressors as opportunities to grow.  Shifting your thoughts has a direct impact on your emotions.  For example, having an optimistic mindset will likely make you feel more empowered, hopeful and happier, and having a negative mindset will likely make you feel defeated, frustrated and sad.  How do you change your thoughts to have a positive perspective on your current stress?  Write down your thoughts about your stress, identify the negative ones and rewrite those same thoughts with a positive perspective.

Self-care

Self-care is so important to combat stress.  Remember that self-care includes lovingly attending to your physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs and desires.  Take that nap.  Read that funny book.  Meet your friend for coffee.  Meditate.

Reach out to your support network

We do life best when we are connected to other people.  When feeling stress, it’s vital to reach out to friends, family, co-workers, members of your church, or neighbors for emotional support and friendship.  Remember that you do not have to share everything about your stress, but sharing even just a little bit helps unburden your mind and lessen feelings of worry, sadness or frustration.

 Talk to a therapist

A therapist is specially trained to listen and help you navigate stress.  Whether it is stress from a relationship, parenting struggles, financial stress, work-related stress or just being in a season of high stress, our therapists can help give you new coping tools to reduce the stress you’re experiencing and support you.

Contact us today to schedule your first appointment with one of our skilled therapists!