5 Steps to Personal Stress Relief

Dealing with stress and learning how to relieve stress is a process and it's very personal. What works for one person may not work for another. It's important to your health to know how to relieve your stress, and to know which stress relief techniques work for you. Stress can weaken your body and make you more susceptible to illness, and when stress becomes chronic it can catapult you toward major health issues.

Observe

The first step to personal stress relief is figuring out why you are stressed. Sometimes it's not so clear. You can be stressed about a lot of things all at the same time. In order to be able to tackle your stress, it's important to know what's causing it. If many issues are making you stressed, try to figure out which issue in particular is making you feel the most worried, anxious or stressed? Is it your job? Is it money, health problems, a divorce? What is the main focal point of your stress? Once you hone in on why you are stressing, you can begin the process of conquering your stress. For example, you're on the way to work and you are stressed about all the traffic, but the real issue that may be causing your major stress is not really the traffic, it's the work and deadlines you face when you get there. So observe and understand the real cause of your stress.

Focus

Once you have discovered the source of your stress, the second step is to figure out why the issue is making you feel so stressed. Stress is usually rooted in fear. Fear that something bad is going to happen around your stress issue, and you feel that it is out of your control. When you feel things are out of your control, you are guaranteed to feel stressed. Whatever the issue, you are telling yourself the situation is dire, and there's nothing you can do about it. "Grasp troubles like nettles so they won't harm you." It's an old saying which means grab your problems before they cause trouble. This is one way of doing just that. Focus on the real source of your stress so you can work toward taking control of your fears surrounding it, and thereby controlling your stress.

Examine

Step number three, tackle a stressful situation by coming up with possible solutions. You don't have to solve the problem right away, just come up with some ideas that may resolve your dilemma. Write them down. Don't rule anything out, and don't edit yourself here. That comes later. No matter how good or bad you think your ideas are, just write down any and all solutions that come to mind. Sometimes brainstorming possible remedies is the first step to feeling some relief from your stress. Some of your ideas may make you realize that the situation is not as hopeless as you once thought. Solutions can knock the wind out of your fears, so write them down and examine all possible solutions.

Discuss

This next step can be difficult for some, especially if you are a private person. Discuss the source of your stress with someone you trust and feel comfortable with. "Two heads are better than one." Another old saying that I'm sure you've heard before. Talking over the issue that is causing you stress can provide some stress relief and another point of view as you go over your list of solutions. If you prefer to keep your issues to yourself, then go over your list alone. Play some relaxing music or use aromatherapy while you revisit your list of ideas. Aromatherapy can really set a relaxing mood to help you keep your stress to a minimum while you go through the process of editing your list.

Action

Now it's time to take action. Action is a stress reliever because you are taking charge of an issue that is making you feel out of control and stressed. Taking action against stress is freeing. Even if your first few attempts don't solve the source of your stress, you will feel more in control and less stressed because you are no longer letting the source of your stress control you or your life. "You can't hit a moving target," another old saying with a ring of truth. Action is liberating and empowering. Take action. Don't let stress get the best of you.

Conclusion

Observe, focus, examine, discuss, and take action.You can also combine these steps with stress management techniques. Breathing exercises, aromatherapy, relaxation exercises, meditation, yoga; there are plenty of good natural stress relief techniques that can provide effective management over what's stressing you. Find your inner peace through personal stress relief. Don't let stress rob you of the joy you should be experiencing in life.
To Your Health!