Stress is an inevitable part of being alive and engaged with life. When used productively, stress can serve as a powerful impetus for creating meaningful changes and taking action… eustress. On the other hand, stress can become a physically, mentally, and emotionally debilitating self-destructive force when one lacks a strong support system, has biologically-based physical or psychological challenges, or has difficulty engaging in regular self care… distress. Since stress is a given in life, it is in everyone’s best interest to gain the knowledge, resources, and skills necessary to prevent unnecessary stress and reduce existing sources of stress. As you become more knowledgeable and committed to a regular routine that includes stress reduction techniques and self care, the ways in which you respond to stressful events in life will begin to shift. A great deal of events occur in life which are unexpected or out of your control… the trick is to identify what is truly within your control and address it, and what is truly out of your control and let it go. This is often easier said than done for many of us.

The first step toward reducing levels of stress is to accurately identify the true sources of stress in your life. Once you are aware of the origins of stress impacting you, the next step is to identify the current (healthy and/or unhealthy) ways in which you cope with stress. Perhaps you notice that you seek out social support or engage in healthy levels of exercise when feeling stressed… or maybe you realize a tendency to procrastinate or abuse substances when under stress. Whatever your current coping skills may be, try to avoid judging them – as this is futile, and only serves to increase stress levels – and instead focus on what you can change about the situation. By learning about stress reduction, you can become more adept at changing the situations that lead to unnecessary stress as well as changing your reactions to those situations.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Week Four

“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.” – Lao Tzu In last week’s post, “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Week Three,” we explored what it means be mindful in movement. There is often a common misconception that in order to practice mindfulness, you must engage in a very still and quiet formal meditation practice.…

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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Week Two

“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way.” – Thich Nhat Hanh In last week’s post, “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Week One,” we explored how the evidence-based treatment of MBSR is effective in making significant changes for the better in people’s lives.  Mindfulness is a practice that can be utilized to transform people’s lives…

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Top 10 Instant Relaxation Techniques – Part One

“Light be the earth upon you, lightly rest.” – Euripides There are moments in life when it feels like everything is hitting you all at once.  Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed by worrisome thoughts, intense emotions, or general overstimulation from the world.  In stressful moments, it is important to feel confident in the knowledge that…

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6 Stress Prevention Strategies

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” – Marcus Aurelius It is inevitable that we all experience stress in some form or another.  When stress is experienced as motivating…

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Protect Your Heart with Stress Reduction

“The mind has great influence over the body, and maladies often have their origin there.” – Moliere Today’s HEALTHbeat newsletter from Harvard Medical School discusses the importance of reducing stress to your overall cardiovascular health.  An abundance of research suggests that many psychological factors affect your heart health.  Different types of stress can contribute to…

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Eustress vs. Distress

“It is how people respond to stress that determines whether they will profit from misfortune or be miserable.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi We all experience stress in our everyday lives.  The manner in which stress affects us depends upon how we choose to think about stress, use stress, and respond to stress.  Stress is not always…

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5 Basic Tension & Relaxation Exercises

“There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden, or even your bathtub.” – Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Visualizations allow us to create mental scenes or images that promote a sense of general relaxation and well-being.  We all…

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