What can you do to cope with stress?

MOVE- Movement and exercise are needed for physical and mental health. If we are feeling stressed when we are sedentary the stress energy has nowhere to go. There is benefit in being engaged in our bodies and pleasure is a felt experience in the body. Taking a short walk in the fresh air outdoors can give you a shift in perspective.

PLAY – Creative experiences such as colouring, painting, listening to music and dancing can relieve the mind and the body.  Playing playing with children or grandchildren can relieve stress and distract our minds from what is bothering you. These experiences can give a well deserved break from negative thoughts or intense feelings about stressful events. 

CONNECT with others. Sharing what you are experiencing or feeling can be helpful and normalize your experience. Cooperating in a task such as making dinner together can help us feel connection to others even if we don’t talk about it. Social connection for humans is essential for survival. Community can be talking to a friend or meeting with a group to share similar experiences which can establish a sense of safety and be therapeutic.

Eliud Kipchoge remains the first and only person in history to run the marathon in under two hours.  His advice is to run with others, 6 days a week he runs with his teammates, whom he credits for his success. He often uses the African proverb: "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together".  

GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND INTO YOUR BODY

If you are in a stressful situation, focus on calming your nervous system by:  

Deep Breathing:  Why not try it out now? 

Start by taking a slow inhalation to the count of 4 and then a longer exhalation to the count of 6 of 7. Think about the air as it. goes over your lips, in through your nostrils, down your throat, filling your lungs so your ribs expand.  Focus on the exhalation by placing your palms flat on your table or on your thighs. Each time you exhale, consider relaxing muscles in your body. Invite yourself to soften your forehead, let go of your jaw, soften your shoulders, Repeat this for 5-6 breaths. As you breathe, notice your body beginning to let go.

Sensory Grounding: Use your senses such as sight, sound, touch, taste or smell—to break the stress cycle. This can be as simple as finding five things you see in the room or considering what textures you are able to touch. Taking in the details of a favourite photo or listening to soft music.

SELF-REFLECTION Writing down what is bothering you can help gain new perspective. Get curious. Ask yourself: what is the source of my feeling? Identifying the cause(s) may assist with building solutions.