9 ways to stress less!

Heya Gorgeous!

Just wanted to pop in today with some super simple ways to let go of stress!

Did you know that you can actually complete the stress cycle in your body, even if the stressor hasn’t gone away?

That’s right.

So what’s the difference between a stressor and the stress response you ask?

Great question!

A stressor is something that is happening in your external environment.

• lack of leadership, or a boss that doesn’t respect you

• an upset with a family member

• the loss of a loved one

• a difficult or challenging tenant or employee

The stress response is something that is happening your internal physiological environment

• your blood pressure is increasing

• your shoulders tightening

• your heart racing

• your breath shortening

These are internal reactions inside of your body in response to the external stressor.

What’s vital to know and remember is…

YOU CAN COMPLETE YOUR BODY’S PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSE, EVEN IF THE STRESSOR HASN’T GONE AWAY.

How often in life does it feel as though the stressor just keeps going?

…the boss that doesn't value you, the family member that keeps undermining you, or the global crises that just keep coming?

Sometime the stressor doesn’t go away.

Today I'm sharing simple & evidenced based ways to complete the stress cycle , even if the stressor hasn’t gone away, so that you can feel energized again.

1. Get your sweat on-

A good old fashion get your sweat on, move your body session is CRAZY effective in completing the stress cycle. It can’t just be a leisurely stroll (as lovely as that is). You've got to get your heart a pumping and your blood a flowing! The accumulation of stress hormones in your system needs a way out. They need to circulate and eliminate. Otherwise, they stockpile and create a stagnant pool of yuckiness that leaves you feeling, cranky, irritable and short fused, which of course, usually creates more stress after you’ve bitten someone’s head off (especially that special someone you love). When in doubt, sweat it out!

2. Access Your Breath -

With SLOW. DEEP. breaths that come from the diaphragm (not the neck and upper chest). Shallow breathing contributes to anxiety and it prevents you from off-gasing carbon dioxide. An accumulation of carbon dioxide results in acidic blood. Acidic blood creates inflammation. Inflammation is at the root of many dis-eases in the body. If you're unsure about how to get that diaphragm moving, check out my blog post for a visual on what it looks like to breathe with your diaphragm and get all of that carbon dioxide. It’s simple and easy to do, once you know how!

3. Start Connecting-

Positive Social Interaction is a must! Just a simple hello and a kind, thoughtful interaction with your local barista will do the trick. It doesn't have to be dinner at a friends or going to a social gathering (especially if you're a bonified introvert like me), just a simple connection beyond, “I'll have a matcha latte with oat milk please". Take that extra second to complement her on her earrings or share a moment of laughter about the weather ( I know, somehow, it's always comes back weather...it's like Groundhog day...something more to laugh about) Then you can go back to your cozy little introvert world with the warm fuzzy feeling of connection in your heart and some of that stress melted away!

4. Laugh from your belly -

SWEET. Belly Laughter! You know the kind I'm talking about. That full bodied bubbling up from the basement laughter. One you have ongoing stressors in your life, it can feel like it’s not safe to laugh. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done! It just takes the intention to access it! If you're not feeling it, put on a something silly, (my current favourite is to watch reruns of 80's sitcoms, for the “soul” purpose of getting a good giggle going). Just a few minutes is all it takes to turn things around and activate the ancient evolutionary system we have to release positive endorphins into the system which help to complete the stress cycle.

5. Get Cozy -

This one is all about leaning in…for a little while longer. While it may have been harder in the middle of a pandemic, things are starting to shift and it’s time to snuggle up and get cozy. Research shows that 20 full seconds changes your hormones, lowers blood pressure & heart rate and improves your mood. While hugs may be harder to come by these days, if you have a special someone in your life, a partner, a friend or a family member, give them a little squeeze, and stay a while…(without being creepy) :)

6. Have a big 'ol cry -

Sometimes, you just need to open the flood gates and let it flow. If you're a highly sensitive empathic gal that feels everything about the world around you including other people's emotions, the collective vibration, the energy of the news, instead of trying to hold it all together and put a happy face on it, it's better to just feel it, cry it out and let it move through you. It doesn't make you weak or too sensitive, it makes you savvy for taking care of your energy by letting the emotion have motion. Stress cycle completed!

7. Fire Up your Creativity.

The reality of this strategy for completing the stress cycle was was never so apparent to me as when we unexpectedly lost our dog a couple years ago. The truth was, a lot of the tools that I use to feel better, weren’t working as well as they had in the past. The stress and the grief was too intense. But the one thing that truly saved my husband and I, and allowed us to complete the stress cycle, was pouring our hearts, our time and our energy into creating a beautiful memorial garden in our front yard. The act of creating something new and special was so deeply healing. You can pour your creativity into knitting a wool scarf or learning to play the piano. It doesn't matter what you choose, but the act of creative expression will help you complete the stress cycle, even when there are still stressors present in your life!

8. Tap it Out -

If you've hung out in my world for very long, then you'll know that this is one of my all time favourites for completing the stress cycle, because tapping (emotional freedom technique) has been shown to decrease cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body by 41%. How cool is that? While it would take a whole other blog post to get into the "how to" of tapping, you can check out some cool resources from my colleagues at the tapping solution here.

9. Shake it off (literally) -

This is one of the much lesser known and yet highly effective strategies for completing the stress cycle. Shaking/T.R.E (Tension Release Exercises), is a technique created by Dr. David Bercelli . "It’s a sequence of exercises that safely activate a natural reflex mechanism of shaking that releases muscular tension, thereby, calming down the nervous system". As human beings we have a remarkable capacity to release deep muscular patterns of stress and tension from our bodies. Shaking it off has been an absolute life saver for me during times of high stress as a way to restore balance to my nervous system and feel totally grounded and calm, even if the stressor is still present. You can check it out here! This tool is an absolute must to have on your radar if you are perpetually struggling with high levels of stress :)

That completes our list of 9 simple ways to stress less! Go forth and choose one that you can use this week and let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear!

Know someone in your life who would really benefit from this list? Go ahead and share it with them as a sweet reminder of the simple ways she can shake off the stress (even if the stressor hasn’t gone away yet!)

Until next time,

Yours in a blissful life,

Christy
xo

P.s When you’re ready... here are three ways I can help you shift from Stressed Out to Blissed Out!

1. Follow me and discover simple ways to release burnout and get yourself back to bliss- Click Here

2. Join the Burnt Out to Blissed Out Facebook Community - get the tools and inspiration you need to ditch the burnout and create your blissful life with a community of like minded women! - Click Here

3. Work with me to create your personal Burnt Out to Blissed Out Formula so that you can get out of the rut of burnout and reclaim your inner spark. You’ll receive one on one coaching from me in my Burnt Out to Blissed Out coaching program to help you have more time freedom for the things you love, more joy and definitely a whole lot more fun! To get started, you can Book Your Bliss Breakthrough call with me HERE