Life Is Just A Chair of Bowlies

Coping with stress is much more difficult after it has built up than  preventing it in the first place. Here are some tips you can use right now to reduce and eliminate stress in your life. Eliminating stress creates more energy... and a healthier you! Eliminating stress is a major factor in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. ​​​​​​​1. Disconnect. Unplug. Make friends with nature. Taking a quiet walk and spending time in nature rejuvenates the body, mind and spirit. You deserve some quiet time to build up your reserves. Decompressing in nature is an ideal way to do this. If you work in an office, take a walk outside at lunchtime to get some fresh air and sunshine. Sunlight triggers your brain to release specific chemicals and hormones, like melatonin, that are vital to healthy sleep, mood and aging. 2. Say "no" more often. Women often feel obligated to say "Yes" to just about everything... leading to being overburdened and stressed out. Our natural inclination to nurture is our undoing. Practice the art of the gentle decline. Instead of saying "Yes", say "GEE, I'm flattered that you asked me AND my plate is full right now. I'm sure you'll find the right person for the job." NO apologies!!! 3. Phones and email are tools for YOUR convenience. Remind yourself that you don't have to answer phone calls or emails immediately. Schedule them at a time that works for  you. You can even put this in your voicemail message: "I'll return your call after 4 PM today," for example. 4. Hanging around people who are difficult, gossiping or complaining is stressful! Avoid them. Ditto listening to the news. It is designed to get people upset.  Up-level your associations to people who are positive and uplifting... people who smile and laugh. Spend 5 minutes a day watching a funny video or laughing at a joke. Do laughter yoga. 5. Mark Twain said that he had experienced many terrible things... some of which actually happened. Avoid telling yourself scary stories about things in the future that haven't happened yet... and probably never will. You can also write your worries down and make plans for what you might do to reduce the worry. Very often, looking at things in perspective, we realize that we would still be OK even if the worst were to happen. 6. Feel your feelings. Listen to what your feelings are telling you that you need. Stuffing, denying or repressing feelings creates stress. Writing them down can be helpful. For a difficult situation or relationship, write down all resentments, regrets and things you would love to say (but can't). You can also ask, "What do I really want right now?" Honor that. 7. Get enough sleep. Many women are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation raises stress hormone levels. The best time to get to sleep is 10 PM. Organize your day so that this can happen. Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine. Both disrupt sleep. 8. Breathe! Breathe deeply from your low belly. It is physiologically impossible to feel anxious and take deep breaths at the same time. Just two minutes of deep breathing from the belly can change everything. 9. Try Magnificent Magnolia! Magnolia officinalis can help your body regulate stress hormones and deal with cortisol effectively. You can also take 200-400 mg of  magnesium citrate  or glycinate before bed, which helps relax the nervous system and muscles. My personal favorite is Natural Vitality CALM. 10. Negative thoughts create negative feelings which lead to stress and tension. Replace your habitual negative, judgmental thoughts and self-criticisms with more positive ones. I love little posters that say things like "You rock!" or "You're amazing!" to reinforce positive thoughts. A supply of gold stars to use on your to-do list is also helpful. Develop the habit of celebrating the "wins." Remember that life CAN be a bowl of cherries!!! Or a Chair of Bowlies! ​​​​​​​ What will you do... starting right now... to reduce your stress level? Let me know!

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And, I welcome your comments.  E-mail me at liz@lizbull.com.

Cheers!