3 Ways to Sail Through Stress

By Corporate Prana

Stress Reality
Whether you’re at work, home, on the golf course, spending time with your kids or loved ones, or taking much needed time for yourself, there is an undercurrent of stress that plays in the background of your mind and body that you may or may not detect.  Today, scientific research is predicting that stress will soon be the #1 Killer of lives and the workplace! Stress has reached all-time highs because people have never been taught how to manage their stress. It’s a current reality that is permeating every aspect of life and business, even children as young as 5 are saying, “I’m stressed.” If that’s not bad enough, these young people are the future leaders of families, companies, local and federal agencies so the more you can learn about managing your own stress, undoubtedly helps others manage theirs- the ripple effect is powerful!
 
Effects of Uncontrolled Stress
Sadly, for most people, they’re unaware of their deep underlying stressors are let alone when and where they started. Equally alarming is that they’re very aware and they don’t know how to release, restore, or renew themselves.  The brain thrives on safety and efficiency so even bad habits that lessen the pain and suffering of stress put the mind and body at temporary ease.  Coping mechanisms are very effective, but do little to unravel the issue to let the negative energy of the stressor release either mental, physical or emotional grip.
 
Some of the most common symptoms of stress are insomnia, stomach upsets, recurring headaches, irritability, diminished appetite, and difficulty concentrating, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, doubt, uncertainty, lack of sexual drive, chronic fatigue, and more. In an attempt to take the mind off the stressful situation, some individuals, turn to food, smoking, alcohol and prescriptive (or non-drugs which in turn have a long term effect of well-being.
 
3 Ways to Manage Your Stress

1. Identify your stressors- look at the various aspects of your life through a lens of observation and time line.  Make a list under each category and rate them 1-10 in terms of the negative effect it’s having on your state of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual energy.
   
   
2. Know your stress personalities in each of these areas.  These are the coping mechanisms that pretend to keep you safe.  Take time to ask your friends, family and colleagues, what your stress personality (ies) are depending on the environment.  Remain humble, you’re merely wanting objective feedback that you can take back to your journal and begin to connect the dots and to create a strategy to take control of the situations, your health, performance, and success. Once you know what your stress personalities are and the habitual habits that reinforce the personality, reflect on other ways you could approach and adopt new perspectives, communication, and behaviors.
   
   
3. Commit to a daily yoga and meditation practice that will begin to shed the energetic layers that build up in the mind and body- most people refer to this as the tension they feel in different parts of their body or chronic pain.  Just like you take a shower to rid yourself of the dirt and toxins you’ve acquired throughout the day, the mind needs the same cleansing- meditation will release what no longer needs to be stored- including the fear, doubt and uncertainty that is acquired by the fight, flight, or freeze response.

 
Sailing Through Stress
Once you’ve identified your stress triggers and reactions to stress, the next thing you can add to your list as critical line item is to ‘keep up’.  The stress of not having enough energy to meet the demands of your day and the strength that’s required to get through the challenges can be established as your sole focus.  This alone is the magic bullet that will give you the winds in your sail, so to speak!  Know that energy will be newly directed and your mind and body will respond accordingly.

Stress-less Options
Sometimes we need help outside of ourselves to deal with stress and there is no shame in that. Seeking the support from family, friends, groups, and colleagues is a huge opportunity that will pay dividends.  Their positive energy will give you new found energy- their positive charge will create a positive charge in you and then it’s your job to keep going- it’s like passing the baton- you in turn will pass it along to others. Just think of how powerful this one act can be- especially if you allow yourself to receive from your children and they in turn share with their siblings or friends- home life, school life, and work life, become a healthier, happier place to be.

Technology has evolved and is very helpful when managing your daily stress. Heartmath is at the forefront of creating stress management gadgets such as the Inner Balance which can be used together with your smartphone to help achieve better focus, reduce stress and enhance an optimistic emotional state.

The emWave2 Handheld helps focus your racing mind so that you can achieve emotional balance. In addition to helping you achieve balance, emWave Pro also offers a desktop training system on stress management.

Stress is a natural part of your human experience, it allows you to develop and evolve.  What’s not okay is allowing stress to take over your life. If you or your company is ready to learn more about stress management, Corporate Prana , a San Diego based company, specializes in the Heartmath product, workshops, and off site one day retreats.  Managing your stress can be the single most profitable choice you can make.

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