Readjusting Your Relationship to Stress

There are many people who believe that you have to operate with stress in your life. It's just a necessary evil for many people. However, stress is actually a silent killer. You don't want to cultivate a lifestyle where stress becomes your norm. While you can't always control the number of stressful experiences that come into your path, you can control your response. Consider some of the effective ways you can readjust your relationship to stress.

Listen to understand
If someone has criticism for you, listen to understand. Don't just focus on ways that you can retort back with a hurtful comment or an argument in your defense. Really take time to listen without reacting. Everything doesn't need to turn into an argument. When you yell or become emotionally engaged on a negative level, this can wreak havoc on your immune system. Instead, focus on listening to understand. Process what others are saying, and calmly do your best to respond.

Be mindful of your emotions
Your emotions will run wild if you allow them to. This is why it's so essential to maintain a strong sense of control. You have the power to control your emotions. Even in the times when things feel out of control, you can always take a moment to take a deep breath. If you feel yourself getting upset, take a second to figure out why. Then, discover if the trigger is worth that emotion. Anger and other negative emotions can be so energy-depleting.

Improve your nutritional habits
When you're consuming tons of caffeine, sugar and empty carbs, you're not giving your body or your mind a chance to thrive. Instead, fill your body with the foods that will empower you to feel your best. When you're able to feel and think clearly, this will make a difference in how you respond to certain situations. It's also okay to take vitamins and supplements to regulate your mood. If you struggle with focusing, this might be an indication of a mental health issue that's more serious. As you work on improving your nutritional habits, consider CBD products that are shown to help with improving mental health. You can take supplements and other forms of CBD in order to gain the health benefits.

Take more time for vacations and rest
No one should work for weeks without rest. Even if it's just one day each week, it's so important to have downtime for relaxing and decompressing. When you're constantly on the go, you're going to burn yourself out. Instead, regularly schedule one day a week to relax. Remember to take vacations as well. Even if you just travel to the neighboring state for a weekend trip, getting away can help you experience some reprieve from the hectic pace of life.

As you work towards incorporating these methods into your life, you might get some resistance from those around you. This is because you're actively working to improve your life. When you're trying to change your life, some people might want you to remain the same. Even when you get resistance, know that this is for the best. Your life will be better because you've adjusted your relationship to stress. When you focus on the way you're improving your life, the other voices won't matter anymore.

This is a guest blog entry.