Boy, am I aware that April is Stress Awareness Month because I’m experiencing stress even as I write this. It’s great that we have a whole month to learn about and focus on stress and how to reduce it.
I have been in a group leadership program to learn how to be a coach who is sought after and in demand. And it has doubled the number of activities and responsibilities I have–including coachees. I had none. Now I have two. That’s a big increase for me. It’s double the responsibilities I had. Now, imagine tripling or quadrupling your responsibilities? People do it all the time.
You know, if you want more out of life, it’s going to come with you having to operate on a higher level. In other words, you’re going to have more responsibilities. But you can manage them. We all can. We just have to be willing and learn how.
What I’m finding out is that I can operate at a much higher level than I have been. I just need structures in place to help me manage the multiple activities I’m engaged in. Structures that include being more organized as well as taking appropriate breaks, like an occasional walk in nature.
Do you think you have enough structures and support in place to manage what you really want out of life? Maybe you need more!
A lot of us don’t see opportunities and turn down the ones we do see because we don’t think we’re up to handling more. The result of that is that your life and business don’t grow. Things stay relatively the same.
For example, you may choose to watch television for hours during the day instead of choosing an activity that will add value to your life or business. That’s fine as long as that’s what you want.
It’s personally gratifying for me to be in action, doing things that make a difference.
And yes, it takes time and energy. But that’s what I’m choosing. The alternative doesn’t seem very exciting or gratifying to me.
To manage and keep my stress at a minimum, I meditate daily, take walks in a nearby park, and exercise. Yes, exercising also helps reduce stress.
There are many ways we can manage and reduce stress. We don’t have to shy away from fully engaging in life.
The more aware you are of your own stress, the more you can regulate it and keep it to a minimum. But stress is part of life. We simply have to find ways to keep it in balance, so it is never more than we can handle.
I push myself because there is much more I want out of life. Is that you too? If so, I recommend doing the things I mentioned above, including meditating, walking in nature, and exercising. And also doing yoga, swimming, bicycling, and taking breaks.
Most important is putting your stress relieving activities in your calendar, so you can look forward to them. I also recommend you create a team of people to support you in getting things accomplished. This can include friends, counselors, teachers, and relatives–as long as they’re supportive.
The three questions I will leave you with here are these:
- “How aware are you of your stresses in life?”
- “What do you have in place to manage stress today?”
- “Are you aware of the things you’re telling yourself that add more stress to your life, like I don’t have enough time?”
These are important questions to ponder as you embark on having a life and business you love.
Stress is inevitable. How you manage it and keep it under control is what counts. And the things you do and tell yourself matter more than you know.
Please comment below.
I’d love to hear anything you’d like to say about this post and how you deal with stress. Thanks.
