12 Ways to Help You Feel Blessed Not Stressed
Nowadays, many of us feel like our entire lives are like a race without any time to stop and take a breath. The pressure of such a lifestyle can easily get overwhelming, and long-term exposure to the effects of stress is extremely harmful. But while you cannot eliminate outside factors that create these circumstances, you always have the option to look at them in a different way. Here are 12 ways to help you feel blessed not stressed – and it won’t even cost you anything.
Organize your tasks
If you have a lot on your plate, worrying about forgetting something gives you an extra dose of anxiety, even if you might not realize it. You would be surprised how much writing it all down could help. It will help you organize your tasks based on their importance and all of it will feel less overwhelming. Make to-do lists for each day before you get ready for bed and you’ll sleep better knowing you’re on top of things.
Spend time in nature
Nature is the no. 1 remedy to the stress our modern-time lifestyles cause. Since we spend too much time on concrete, it is easy to forget about where we come from. Spending time in nature, however, helps us relax and feel calm, helps us reconnect with our roots, and even affects our health positively. So when you feel overwhelmed, try to step outside for a second. In fact, you don’t even have to live close to nature to reap the benefits: even house plants and pictures of nature reduce stress levels and evoke feelings of calmness – so, make your home and workspace a little greener!
Sweat it out
Another great remedy for stress and all the complications it brings is physical exercise. Exercise is not only a prerequisite for good physical health; it’s also a pillar of mental health as it gives you a much-needed mood boost. Even just a little bit of exercise every day will help you sleep better, eat better, and generally feel better. It will urge your brain to raise those dopamine and serotonin levels and you will feel great in your skin (not to mention all the health benefits regular exercise brings to the table.)
Relax your muscles
Being tense all day, dealing with the hundreds of tasks on your hand inevitably tenses up your body too. A stiff neck is the last thing you need, so it’s a good idea to relax your muscles, give your body a well-deserved break, and that way, relieve the effects of stress. You can take a long, hot bath to pamper yourself, or you can get a comfy massage chair and unwind every night while watching your favorite show. Massage is known to lower blood pressure and alleviate a slew of other ailments. In addition, who would deny that a massage simply feels amazing, and you really deserve this much after a long day at work?
Practice gratitude
It’s easy to focus on what we don’t have, constantly seeing other people’s success, and it’s easy to forget about all the things we should be grateful for in the meantime. However, we all have those things in our lives that we are more than glad to have, so it’s a great idea to remind yourself of them from time to time instead of constantly comparing yourself with others who seem to be doing better. You can start a gratitude journal and note down things you are grateful for every day, or you can simply spend a few minutes appreciating these things while meditating each morning. It’s a great way to start the day on a positive note.
Be nice to yourself
How many times do you catch yourself scolding yourself, pointing out your flaws and mistakes and generally not being nice to the very person you should treat with the most kindness? If you are telling yourself things you would never say to another person, it’s time to change the way you talk to yourself. No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes – it’s completely normal. So, talk to yourself the same way you would talk to your friend and you will feel happier. We all need at least this much kindness in our lives.
Make time for laughs
When you’re busy all day, probably all you want to do when you have free time is just sleep. And while sleep is indeed important, busyness can often lead us to neglect our precious relationships and eventually drifting away from some of our dearest friends. Never underestimate the power of the company and how much simply being around your loved ones can lift your spirits. Humans are social beings and making time for those we care about and having plenty of laughs is enough for some of your worries to vanish or at least shrink in size. Even just calling your friend on the phone can cheer both of you up.
Say goodbye to toxic relationships
At the same time, you should be wary of people who do not contribute positively to your life. We all have toxic people and toxic relationships in our lives that will just drag our energy down and leave us feeling guilty and insecure even though we have no valid reason to. Cutting out these people from your life might not always be easy or possible at all, but for a start, being aware of them and not devoting too much of our energy to them is a great start.
Give back
Small acts of kindness can hugely change anyone’s day for the better. And just knowing that you helped someone, no matter how little the gesture was, will give you a kind of joy that few things compare to. Moreover, seeing people being in less fortunate situations than us can be really eye-opening. So, try to give back sometimes and you will feel ever so grateful.
Practice your hobbies
When we step out into the “real world” after growing up, we are often told that our hobbies are for kids. However, this could not be more wrong. We all need to set aside some time to spend it doing something we love, as it can make us so much happier. Creative hobbies will allow you to express yourself freely, forgetting about all your stress while immersing yourself in creating something. And the best thing about it is that your options are endless – if one thing doesn’t work, just try something else!
Listen to music
Music is an ultimate mood-booster; everyone has songs that simply make them instantly happy, and you would be surprised how great effects of stress reliever a good song can be. It doesn’t matter if you prefer upbeat and happy songs or calm and relaxing melodies. Turn up the volume and enjoy your favorite tunes. Perhaps even sing a little.
Live in the now
Finally, to really feel like you are blessed to be living your life, you should focus on the here and now instead of dwelling too much on things that you cannot change. The past is past so don’t think about it too much, and no one can predict the future so there’s no use worrying too much about it. Savor every moment as they happen and you will feel much more alive.
Conclusion
Sometimes, it’s difficult to see the silver lining when life seems to be about work and nothing else. However, everyone has things in their life they should be grateful for and happy about, you just need to remind yourself about these things. Try to keep the aforementioned tips in mind and hopefully, you’ll be able to deal with stress better while feeling more fulfilled.
