Positive Strategies for Managing Stress

Positive strategies for managing stress will help you feel much better about yourself and the world around you. If you ever take your stress out on the people around you, you know that this usually causes more stress in the long run. People become upset with you and then you may feel bad or some people may retaliate and cause you even more stress. Instead of bringing people into your latest crisis, it's time to take your stress under control without spreading it.

Manage your stress with positive strategies.

• Exercise: Exercise is one of the best and most effective ways to manage stress. Getting your heart pumping releases endorphins, which are “feel good” hormones that may greatly reduce your stress.
• Play Sports: Playing sports does two things -- it provides you with exercise and it helps you displace your anger and anxiety in a productive way. When you play racquetball, tennis, football or other such sports, you can take your frustrations out on a ball or in a tackle. Once you are done with your game, you may feel less tension than you did before you started.
• Listen to Music: When life seems like it's out of control, grab your earphones and blast the music. You can listen to either guided relaxation CDs, soothing music, or another type that goes along with how you are feeling. Listening to music is cathartic and can help you relieve some of the anxiety you feel.
• Journal: If you are feeling overwhelmed you may need to just get it all out of your head. Sit down with a paper and pen and start writing everything that comes to mind. Write down everything you have been through during the day, everything that has bothered you, your hopes and fears. Once you are done, you may feel a lot less tension. If you don't, look over your list and figure out what you can take control of right now.
• Take Control: Many times, you may feel stressed out because life seems out of control. Taking control of things in your life can help you feel less stressed about them. Sometimes you aren't able to do anything about a situation but you can find some other way to inadvertently help the situation or the way you feel about it.
• Talk to Someone: Venting is another great way to manage stress. Call a friend or family member and let him or her know what has been going on with you. Only call someone who you know will be good support for you or you will end up even more irritated.
• Take a Break: If you haven't taken a vacation in years or you don't give yourself a break regularly, your stress will accumulate until you feel overwhelmed. Manage your stress by giving your body and mind a chance to recuperate often.
• Try Relaxation Techniques: Relaxation imagery exercises and breathing exercises can help you calm down physiological responses to your stress, which then will help you feel much better mentally as well.

Using positive strategies for managing stress will help you find relief from anxiety. However, you need to find the strategy that works best for you and the situation you are dealing with, whether it is a regular meditation regimen or just quick stress relievers. Take some time and try each of the above strategies to see which one best alleviates your stress and then incorporate it into your daily life. You may not be able to combat all the stress in your life but you are able to manage it effectively with positive strategies.

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