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5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During Stressful Times

November 28, 2016 By Christine Field

This post may contain affiliate links.

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I love, love, love Christmas but there is no denying the fact that it is a stressful time. I have to really take care of myself. Already, my neck is feeling sore. (That’s the area where I carry my stress.)

manage stress

 

Stress is a killer. It can lead to inflammation throughout your body, triggering the onset of a number of undesirable health conditions. It also attacks your emotions and mind, which can lead to neurological disorders, emotional eating, detachment from friends and family, anxiety and depression.

 

Unfortunately, stress happens to everyone. That means you need to know how to deal with stress effectively. Consider the following 5 practices during this stressful season, and stress will have a minimal negative impact in your life.

1 – Meditate/Pray

Effective meditation has been proven for centuries to reduce stress and anxiety. There are plenty of free and paid meditation resources online to help you get started. Remember that you don’t have to be in a particular physical environment or area to meditate. Your time investment can be minimal as well. Close your eyes, calm your mind, focus on your breathing and in just a few minutes you can feel the stress slipping away.

Prayer is an effective way to focus your mind. It doesn’t have to be complicated or scary. Even the slightest whispered prayer, lingered over, can lead to feelings of calmness.

2 – Change Your Environment

If it is possible to leave your stressful situation, do so. Take a walk. Get outside in the chilly sun. Read a few pages of a book or watch a funny video. (If you have young people in your home, ask them where they find funny videos) Sometimes your environment is causing your stress, and even just 5 or 10 minutes away can help your situation.

All you need to get done will still be there when you get back!

3 – Treat Your Body Right

Sometimes your stressful situation is your body’s way of telling you that you are unhealthy. This means eating right, less fast food and processed food items, and more fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and berries. Get some exercise as well, at least 3 to 5 days a week. Make sure you’re getting plenty of rest, and drinking lots of water.

During the holiday season in particular, it is so easy to practice bad habits. Unless you have dietary reasons not to, don’t be afraid to have a Christmas cookie or a piece of holiday candy. Just don’t have 10 of them!

4 – Create a Stress-Free Zone

You know your environment can sometimes dictate your mood. Create a nurturing place at home. Keep it simple, with as few objects and possessions as possible. Add pictures and music that soothe you and make you happy. This is a place where you can mentally reset your emotions, minimizing the impact of stress.

Mine is a blue, overstuffed chair with a reading lamp and a small table beside. When I’m sitting in the blue chair, it’s chill time. Don’t even try to aggravate me because it’s my stress-free zone.

5 – Look at Things Objectively

I get it. I know what it’s like to try to juggle kids, everyone’s wants and requests, a household, a job and, and, and…… It can be a nightmare trying to manage it all.

But consider this: Your stress is not always as full-blown as you think you is. Human beings sometimes have a tendency to over-exaggerate a situation. Look at your circumstances as if you were a nonjudgmental outsider. This allows you to identify the real cause of stress, and then you can act accordingly.

Will the world spin out of its orbit if you don’t get all the decorating done? Nope. In fact, you’ll be grateful you have less to do when it comes time to put it all away.

Prioritize the big things, like family time and special traditions. Small things need to be done with great love. If you’re too irritated or stressed out and CAN’T do things with love and gentleness, then simply don’t do them.

If you liked this post, you might enjoy these:

Christmas Gift Guide for Homeschool Moms

3 Things Moms Do To Mess Up Christmas


Filed Under: Health and Beauty, Self-care, Stress

Previous Post: « Christmas Gift Guide for Homeschool Moms
Next Post: Five Strategies for Helping Siblings Get Along »

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Hi, I’m Christine

Have you been a wholehearted mother, but time, toddlers and teenagers have moved on? If you are wondering what comes next for you, you’ll feel right at home here.

Or, are you a mom for whom family life has been non-Pinworthy and parenting has been downright painful? I hear ya. There are many of us around.

Are you looking for a life full of exploration and adventure after the nest empties, but maybe you have no idea how to go about doing that? Stick around! We’ll explore adventures together to help you gain more clarity for your own path.

After a couple decades of writing books and articles about parenting, homeschooling and adoption, speaking to homeschoolers and other parent groups, and reaching out to the mom in the trenches who was trying to make the best of it - my kids grew up. Some grew up and grew away. I was determined to find a way out of the pain, emptiness and lack of direction.

For many of us, the journey starts with something we moms are not accustomed to. After years of caring for and serving others, sometimes we forget the beauty and wonder of US. We need to spend some time getting to know the parts of ourselves that have lain dormant, and take the time to explore interests and passions that we set aside.

I’d like to invite you to get the “What’s Next for Mom” workbook and jump into this growing tribe of Moms who are emptying the nest and filling the life! Let’s reignite your Mojo after Mothering!
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About Christine

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At Real Mom Life, my passion is to provide resources and reassurances for moms facing the surprising challenges of family life. In my writing and speaking, I explore solutions to unexpected issues in adoption, homeschooling, special needs, and more while encouraging moms to extract the maximum joy out of each day. Read More…

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