Out Smart Your Stress

We have all dealt with stress at some point in our lives. Some of us may have even felt anxiety or panic when things were going especially wrong. Those are feelings that we could all do without, but they are also ones we should pay attention to when they come up. I would like to share my experience with this sort of thing and how I have learned to handle it.

Just a little over a year ago I started to develop severe performance anxiety. It's not a disease or an illness, just the result of my brain being on overdrive for far too long. Performance anxiety is "a very disruptive level of anxiety that can develop in any situation where you have to perform an activity." When faced with a task you start thinking of all the things that could go wrong. It feels a lot like stage fright except no one is watching you, and you're just trying to get through your everyday life. The anxiety over even small things escalates into fear and blocks you from living the full life you want to live. My anxiety sometimes made it difficult to leave the house, and that's when I started taking the problem seriously. So, where do you even start when you've reached this level of anxiety? There are medications for anxiety that help a lot of people, but for me the side effects of the medicine just made things worse. I much preferred a natural approach. Here are some other ways I learned to manage my anxiety:

1. Create a support system of family and friends.
It's not necessary that they know every detail if you don't want to share what you're going through, but at least have people who care about you close by. After college I moved home for a while because I needed my family's support. Your family and friends don't see you as a burden or extra work. They want to be there for you as a parent, or sibling, or friend the same way they would want to be there for any one they cared about whether that person is struggling or not. Being at home with people I love also motivated me to make changes. It was the best decision I could have made for that time.

2. Nourish your body.
This includes your diet as well as your sleep schedule. The number one side effect of stress is trouble sleeping. Another side effect of stress is a lack of appetite. Having the right nutrients helps keep your mind clear, and without them you will feel worse. When it comes to getting enough shut eye, keep in mind the typical amount of sleep recommended for adults is 8 hours a night. This differs depending on the person, and I find that I function best on 9-10 hours per night.

3. What goes in is what comes out.
Feed yourself positive messages. Post them on your wall, at your desk, in the bathroom, in your car. Try listening to music with a positive message. You want the song stuck in your head to be a good one! Also, practice paying attention to how you speak to yourself. We all have that voice in our head, our ego you might call it, commenting on everything we do. Is that voice overly critical, negative, or harsh? Once you start paying attention you can change it. Speak positively to yourself. Even out loud if you need too. You should be your own best friend in this way.

4. Exercise/ Yoga
These were my two big outlets. If you're not into exercise or athletics that is okay! Any kind of outlet can help you practice focusing on yourself and living in the moment. Whether it's a sport, going to the beach, drawing, reading, singing, talking to a friend - find a way to express your self. Take a break from the chaotic aspects of your life for a moment and do something that lets you escape. Focus solely on the line you're painting, word you're reading, or ball you're about to catch.

5. OUTSMART IT.
How do you outsmart your stress? Rather than waiting until things get bad, you can outsmart your stress by practicing prevention. You shouldn't only treat symptoms of stress when they appear. You should take preventative measures by living in a way that reduces stress even if you aren't feeling stressed. Take extra good care of yourself when you know a stressful event is coming up like final exams, a project at work, or social event. Outsmart your stress by stopping it before it happens and know that you'll be able to handle stressful situations when they come up.

In addition to these things, therapists or counselors can be very helpful people in your life for learning additional ways to manage stress, such as breathing techniques. There are many professionals who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Researching anxiety and stress management on your own can also be helpful, because the better you understand the problem the better equipped you are to fix it.

Peace :)


Please share! Feel free to leave comments or send an email to me about your own experiences and methods of out smarting your stress. Sources:http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/phobias_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_performance_anxiety.htm photo credit: Victoria Nevland via photopin cc