How to Cope With and Eliminate the Stress in Your Life

Stress can harm us emotionally by causing feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression. This emotional turmoil can then harm us physically by causing headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Here are some of my favorite ways to cope with, or eliminate, stress.

Go for a walk or take a slow drive in the country.

Gaze at the stars and count your blessings.

Deep breathing helps to harmonize our nervous system, so practice breathing deeply often.

Get enough sleep so your body and mind are well rested. Go to bed earlier, get up later, or take naps - whatever works best for you.

Get out and enjoy nature by having a picnic.

Go to the mall and do some people watching.

Do a fun craft project with your kids or play a board game with them.

Get rid of clutter in your home by cleaning out a closet of organizing a junk drawer.

Don't dwell on negative thoughts. Instead, try to develop a positive attitude. The way you think affects all areas of your life.

Get a massage or take a yoga or Tai Chi class.

Go for a swim, run, walk, ride a bike - anything to get you up and your body moving. Exercise is a great stress reliever.

Listen to music and sing along or dance. Dancing releases endorphins just like exercise does.

Laughter is a wonderful mood elevator, so laugh out loud, laugh often, and laugh at yourself. Try to find the humor in every situation.

Reading a good book can help take your mind off the world and chaos around you

Toss a ball to a dog, pet a cat, cuddle a bunny ... animals can be a great stress reliever.

Tugging at outfit that just doesn't fit right can set your nerves on edge, so always try to wear clothes that are comfortable.

Meditate and clear your mind of all negative thoughts.

Go to a movie or a play or anything that gets you out of the house and get your mind off your worries.

Listen to the rain or watch fish swim in a fish tank.

Give your friends and family a great big hug. Just like smiles, hugs are contagious.

Soak in a bubble bath and surround yourself with relaxing music, candles, and your favorite scent.

Turn off the TV. The media tends to focus on negative news stories. This can impact your mood and make you feel stressed.

Live for today and live in the moment. You can't control what will happen tomorrow, so why worry about it.

Get rid of things (or people) in your life that continually make you angry.

Doodle, draw, let your mind wander and your imagination soar.

Cut down on caffeine and other stimulants; avoid using recreational drugs or excessive alcohol.

Schedule some quiet time for yourself every day and do something you really enjoy, or do nothing at all without feeling guilty for "being lazy".

Say "no" more often and say "yes" to what you really want. Not saying the things we feel can lead to a sense of frustration, hurt, anger or anxiety.

Do your most unpleasant or most difficult task at the beginning of the day when you are fresh. This will help avoid the stress of having to do last minute preparation. The worse stress gets, the more likely you are to procrastinate.

Break large tasks down into smaller ones and they won't seem so overwhelming.

Lower your standards about housekeeping and hire someone else to clean your house every now and then - this will give you more time to do something fun.

Learn to be decisive. Putting off making a decision prevents your from taking action and can make you feel out of control, and this can make you feel stressed out.

Make "to-do" lists, but be flexible enough that the lists run your life.

Writing things down in a journal at the end of the day can help you let go of the stresses and worries that might have piled up in your mind.

Keep a pen and paper beside your bed at night. If you can't sleep because of all those thoughts in your head, write the thoughts down and then you can quit fretting over them.

Write things down so you don't have to rely on your memory. Then you won't have to worry about forgetting something.

Strive for excellence, not perfection. Do the best job you can and be proud of what you have achieved. Don't stress out if things don't go exactly as planned.

Always have a backup plan n case your first attempt at something doesn't turn out like you planned.

Know your limitations and ask for help when you need it. Don't try to be superwoman or superman.

Look at problems as challenges and opportunities to succeed instead of seeing them as burdens.

Just remember that stress is a very personal thing. What one person perceives as enjoyment can trigger stress in someone else. Once you learn to recognize your stress points, then you can use some of the tips above to control the stress. Or find your own ways to eliminate stress. Your mind and body will thank you for it!