Four Ways to Keep Your Stress Level Low When Growth Becomes a Challenge
Keeping your stress levels low shouldn't just be on a To-Do list – and definitely not on your Bucket List! We need to maintain a healthy level of interaction with society, and that means having a chance to retreat from all that’s going on when we’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s not a luxury; maintaining a low stress level is more of a necessity than we recognize. Sometimes, stress invades our lives the way weeds invade a garden. A little bit here and there, and before you know it everything is overgrown and needs immediate attention… or else. And while some people say this is easier said than done, I say try these four things first - then tell me how much higher your energy level is, and how much more focused you feel day to day.
Take Deep Breaths. Never underestimate the power of taking a few simple, deep breaths when you’re feeling knocked off-balance and emotionally overwhelmed. Depriving the brain of oxygen sets off a chain reaction inside the Amygdala portion of the brain, called the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. To clear that toxicity and get your frontal lobe back to mostly regular function you need to breathe deeply. This saturates your body and brain with calming oxygen, leading to a clearer perspective. Thinking clearly leads us to the next step.
Visualize. Now that you’re back to thinking clearly, we’re ready to initiate growth. What will get us there fastest is to map out what it looks like, and how we’re going to get there. Visualize. We need to have a vision of what this new growth looks like. If you’re going to grow a tomato plant, you know what a healthy seedling plant looks like and, eventually, what its fruit will looks like when it ripens. Just as you would envision this plant, envision for yourself, as clearly as possible, what the new personal growth itself looks like. Really imagine what new and different path you want for yourself. Does it include a new job? Being in a different relationship? Or being able to bring more peace to your life? What do you imagine it looks like? It’s your movie; close your eyes and see how it unfolds.
Movie directors have a process called ‘storyboarding.’ Here they plan each scene, each angle as they see it coming together on film. I encourage my patients to take a similar approach: each of us can make a ‘vision board’ for ourselves. As is often the practice, they take a piece of large paper and cut out images from magazines that embody what they want for themselves in life in a very descriptively visual way.
Break it Down. Now that you’re able to see all those things you want for yourself, pick one to start with that you feel might be more attainable. Make a list of steps that you can work on right now, and daily if need be, in order to achieve what you want. Don't try to get everything you envision for yourself all at once; seek gradual change that you can make in your life.
Meditate, meditate, meditate. There was a time when I didn’t put a lot of weight into the concept of meditation. Meditation helps you do all these steps at the same time and, by relieving your heart rate and blood pressure, is a huge stress-reducer. Meditation has been scientifically proven to improve the memory, increase the brain’s ability to multitask, and sharpen our focus and attention. It changes our neurochemistry for the better by increasing gray matter and volume in areas, thus improving the ability to regulate emotions, decrease inflammation at a cellular level and altogether regulate the body’s functions. There are plenty of free guided meditations available online, but a guide isn’t necessary; all you have to do is sit and use your mind. You will be blown away at the effects.
Remember – a low stress level isn’t a luxury. Our brains and bodies function better with a little bit of space to ourselves. Take those moments to breathe, look around, and appreciate where you’re going next.
For much more insight on keeping stress levels low, Dr. Janna Fond's book is a must read: Everything Will Be OK: Blending Psychology And Spirituality To Heal Ourselves is available on Amazon.com.
