Beating Stress With Unlimiting Beliefs

Life can be like giving birth, continually. We are constantly confronted with change that, while often positive, may be challenging to get through. Times now are particularly confusing and stressful as the economy wanes and the holidays are upon us. We rush around from one appointment to another, trying to “get it right” and do all that’s expected of us. Our calendars look like chicken scratches as we try to decipher what we’re supposed to do that day. We fret over how it can all be done and when.

At times like these I find it’s helpful to closely examine my beliefs of what I expect of myself and life in general. I reevaluate my beliefs, so that I’m not overloading myself with expectation and demands and stressing out – feeling like a failure.
 
One limiting belief I share with many is: We come here expecting every day will be happy and to enjoy the journey. If we behave and handle ourselves well, life will go smoothly. If things in our lives don’t go smoothly and we get snagged along the way we often feel like failures.

The truth is, life is all about lessons; A lot of them. We’re running a life obstacle course and there are times when it’s going to be challenging. There are times when we’re running along feeling the wind in our face, hurtling over those tires and climbing the life ladders with ease. Then there will be days when the rain pours down while we’re trudging up a muddy mountain. It’s cold, it’s windy, we hate it and we may slip and get a little depressed. That’s life. Allowing the ups and downs and taking them one day at a time without blaming ourselves is one way to decrease the stress we feel.

Below are some techniques and belief that work for me to release stress;
1, Meditation is key. I can’t imagine getting through a difficult time without it. Meditation is to the mind/emotions/spirit as a shower is to the body. It cleans us out and realigns the inner gears. It also helps us to focus and stay centered and grounded in the challenging and not so challenging times. Taking even 5 minutes to site and breath, attempting to release stress and stressful thoughts can make a day run more smoothly.

2. Exercise is a legal way of drugging yourself. Yes, endorphins do work. You’ll also notice that you’ll feel happier when your body is healthy. (How emotionally bad did you feel when you had that flu?) It may seem there is no time for exercise. But exercise creates energy, strength and clarity and can be a time creator – miraculously you have more time because you have more energy in the right places.

3. Eating properly is also a great way to deal with challenging situations for the above reasons.

4. Call on your support systems. If you don’t have any (Oh, come on now, you do.) read an inspirational book or listen to motivating music or a tape. Watching the news or a stressful television show may be counterproductive.

4. Two effective tools for dealing with challenge are positive attitude and faith - pure knowing and understanding - that things WILL GET BETTER.

5. Know that times get tough and that we are meant to trip up. It’s how we learn. Learning is a good thing. I complimented my 78 year-old mother on her wise advice the other day. She said, “I’d better be wise. If I hadn’t learned anything by now, I’d be a sad case.”  We’re all becoming wiser each day.

6. We can handle life one day, one breath at a time. Anticipation of too much to do or failure is a time and attitude killer. Right now you can handle what’s on your plate. Do that. Don’t worry about the future. Focus on what’s happening right now, and then the next obvious thing will come along in the next minute. Believe that all that you need to get done will.

When times do get better, pat yourself on the back for a journey well taken. In fact, pat yourself on the back when you’re feeling bad. Feel proud that you handled or are handling the mountain. You are birthing a life. If you are alive, you’re handling it. You’re doing it. That’s what life is all about. Doing it. Learning from it. And, try to love yourself for having made the journey. Of course, there are those spectacular views at the top of the mountain, too. Not to mention great cheesecake, hummingbirds, baby kisses, warm conversations with friends, mountain streams . . . It’s good to be alive, especially when all that’s expected is being here and doing what feels right, right now.

Deborah Hill is an intuitive coach and counselor, speaker, author of Unlimited Life: Limiting Beliefs and Belief Busting Power Truths. You can learn more about her at TheAwarenessInitiative.com