Faith Winters, LPC, NCC

Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor
Providing: Individual, Marriage and Family Therapy
Effective Treatment for Anxiety and Depression

                     7 Quick Ways to Lower Your Stress

1. Breathe deeply: Stand up straight and take a few deep breaths and let them out slowly. When we get stressed we often hunch over a little, tighten up and breath is shallow. Breathing deeply can help you to feel more refreshed and relaxed.

2. Go for a walk: Stand tall and walk briskly as if you have some place to be and little time to get there. This helps to get your body moving and you may feel more alert.

3. Prayer/Meditation: Take the time to reach out beyond yourself and connect to something more. Meditate on what is true, lovely and honest.

4. Refocus your mind: Put aside (at least for a while) the thoughts that are adding to your stress. Think about something you like. Look at nature, sky, trees, or the back of your hand. Take a moment to wonder at the way things work, the way they are made.

5. Look at the big picture: It is about getting a more realistic perspective on today’s stressors. A hundred years from now how much will this matter? Compared to what you value most in life, how important is this?

6. Do something you enjoy: Take the time to do something you enjoy every day. Find little pleasures, simple things that bring a smile to your face.

7. Evaluate the use of your resources: Are you using the appropriate resource for the task at hand? Is there some other resource that could be put to use more effectively? Sometimes the help of a professional may be the most cost effective solution.

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