Reading time: 3 minutes
Can I be blunt for a moment?
If you’re like most of us you probably need some tools to reduce stress and increase energy.
The world we live in today is filled with pressure and stress, and as much as I don’t want to talk about it, sorry, but you’re going to feel stressed.
It could be stress from lack of money, or work, political climate, violence and crime, or it could even be worrying about what the future holds for us.
It’s been research proven by US stress statistics that 77% percent of people around the world experience symptoms caused by stress.
You see, no matter how much you try to avoid stress, the truth is, it’s almost unavoidable.
Stress can come through tension from a co-worker, pressure from your boss, work overload, medical expense, or family crisis just to mention a few.
What about distractions, poor nutrition, lack of proper sleep? Oh, don’t get me started, divorce, death of spouse, arguments with friends, loneliness and so much more.
My main point here is to remind you that stress is real. You can feel it everywhere around you.
The good news is that while stress is almost unavoidable, and has caused many people to be overwhelmed, to retreat from life and even created health disorders preventing them from achieving their goals, you can outsmart stress by learning how to manage it the right way.
To do that, I recommend you start practicing the things mentioned below.
1. 20 minutes mindfulness meditation daily
“Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.” – Ajahn Brahm
And that’s true, isn’t it? Just as physical exercise is good for keeping the body fit. Mindfulness and meditation are suitable for keeping the mind fit.
And let’s be real, we ought to take care of our mind because everything we project outside is a result of what’s going on the inside.
Ever thought about why you struggle to smile when you’re hungry? I mean real hunger. And yet, the moment we get something to eat, everything changes. That should tell you how vital dealing with our mind and emotions are.
To deal with stress, I recommend you practice meditation for 20-30 minutes a day, just as you need to learn endurance to get along when you’re hungry.
You can use a tool like Headspace, or Calm. If these aren’t right for you, a little google search could help you find the perfect fit.
Start meditating daily, become mindful of the stress, then simply let it out through every exhale, and in return, inhale, calmness, happiness, and joy.
Remember, the one who has mastered his own mind can master anything.
1. Reduce stress by accepting what is
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t come across any building that has lasted for a century and still remains that way without a crack or little ruins.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, The Parthenon, Tumulus of Bougon. All well known ancient buildings, and if you get to pay any a visit you’ll clearly see that these buildings are not the same as they were when they were built.
In fact, If not for proper maintenance, they probably wouldn’t exist at all today.
That tells us something important.
Be willing to accept what it is, knowing that there is going to always be a crack, and instead of reacting, learn how to respond by doing whatever you can do to fix the situation.
And If you can’t fix it, let go by forgiving yourself and everyone involved. A great way to reduce stress. Test it for yourself.
No matter how professional you are, or how well you think you manage life, there’s always going to be a crack, a hole in the wall. Get rid of the concept of perfection, accept what it is, and find a way to make things better.
If you’re patient enough, the light always comes in through the crack, In a real sense?
Every challenge brings with it an equal opportunity to achieve success.
So instead of allowing yourself to get beaten down, See the hole, or the crack if you will, as an opportunity to solve a problem or to create something new, so you can help others avoid making the same mistakes and reduce stress all around.
3. Narrow down your source of learning
Someone once said: “Please all, and you will please none.”
Research has shown that an average person can be flooded with over 36,000 ads in a single day. I t seems believable to me.
You see them on the highway signposts, hear them on radio commercials, see them on television or your grandma who just saw a new ad that offered a new opportunity for what you can do to succeed faster is motivated to share with you!
Welcome to the age of information overload where everybody wants a chance to do business with you, or sell you something.
Unless you narrow down your source of learning, by figuring out what you need to know to get to where you’re going and focusing on those things alone, you might get yourself caught up in the sea of noise which can lead to experiencing more stress as a result of work and information overload.
If you don’t narrow things down, you will probably create more stress for yourself, ending up getting busy whilst getting nowhere.
If you want to reduce stress, narrowing down is the way to go.
To reduce stress and Increase your energy, I highly suggest you start practicing these things and see the transformation that awaits you.
Peace out.
Cephas Tope
Latest posts by Cephas Tope (see all)
- 7 Keys To Developing Good Relationships - March 30, 2020
- How to Overcome Jealousy in 4 Easy Steps - March 15, 2020
- These 7 Facts Will Change How You See Failure Forever - February 20, 2020
