Top five things to help us calm down

Recently, I jotted down the five things in life that give us stress like sickness, a break-up or losing a job. Well, the great news is, not all hope is lost for all of us, no matter the stress. That’s because there are some things we can do to relieve ourselves of pressure, specially the everyday kind (caused by traffic or a non-cooperative colleague). So here’s my list of the top five things to help us calm down.

1. Breathe and relax your shoulders

When stressed, collect yourself, then sit up, take a deep breath and drop your shoulders. Bringing down your shoulder blades will lessen the stiffness and make you feel at ease and much more comfortable. If you’re stressor is inside a room or a building, you can also simply step out for a while and get some fresh air. Remove yourself from a stressful environment even if just for a few minutes, lest you have a panic attack.

2. Exercise

When stressed, just jump rope, run or do brisk walking to help release serotonin. But if there’s one thing to avoid are exercises which will make you release anger like boxing or punching a bag. Doing so reinforces the feeling that you simply end up feeling good as the result of being angry,”

3. Think: Is it really worth it?

Have a ready and useful mantra to live by when push comes to shove.Just make sure it’s one that you find helpful. Like: Do I need this trouble in my life?” or “Am I going to allow this person/situation to steal my peace?” This allows you to shift your focus and not dwell on the situation.

4. Write it down

When you want to explode and rant openly, try to just get a piece of paper and write your feelings down. If you feel the need to rant more often, keep a journal close to you. Writing makes you release your stress and helps to avoid confrontation (if it’s a person you’re having problems with that’s causing you undue stress).

5. Eat

There’s nothing worse than being stressed with an empty stomach. If you’re hungry or not properly hydrated, the other tips to relieve yourself of stress simply wont work.That’s why it’s important to slow down and get something to eat — even if it’s just a small snack.