The other day I wrote about how the COVID-19 pandemic gave me an unexpected break from the stress and likely burnout that I was experiencing. I have been under a tremendous amount of stress for as long as I can remember. I am a busy bee and feel like I constantly have to be doing something to justify my existence. You can either find me at work, studying for whatever class I’m taking at the time, driving my kids from place to place, attending their sporting events or awards, helping them with homework, grocery shopping, cleaning or over extending myself in some other capacity. No wonder why I’m burnt out and carrying so much flab around my waist.
Prolonged stress has a variety of issues that affect pretty much every system of the body. Without boring you with medical jargon, here are the basic problems stress can cause:
–Reduced sex drive
–Irregular periods
–Acne breakouts
–Hair loss
–Poor digestion
–Depression
–Insomnia
–Weight gain (especially around the belly)
–Decreased fertility
–Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
Alright, now that we all know some of the issues long-term stress can cause. Lemme just tell you! My eyes were opened during this pandemic. About a month into the shelter in place order, my body FINALLY felt relaxed enough to have a real period. You guys, I have not had a real period in THREE YEARS! I assumed I wasn’t getting a period because of my birth control, and maybe it does have something to do with it, but now I know the main issue was stress.
It is so important that we listen to our bodies. When it is throwing all the warning signs that something is wrong and we are just barreling through them. We are hurting ourselves. I know this pandemic is probably a once in a lifetime event and getting an unexpected break like this may never happen again but, we need to find a way to release the stress we are carrying.
“If you feel ‘burnout’ setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best, for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself.” – Dalai Lama
Moving forward here are some ideas to reduce stress.
Exercise
Running is my happy place. Some days after work or sometimes during my lunch break, I lace up my running shoes and run until I can’t run anymore. If you don’t like to run, you could always go for a walk, do yoga, zumba, or anything else that gets you moving.
Journal
Writing the things that are on your mind can actually take them off of your mind. Venting to a piece of paper can make you feel a lot better, without all the drama. You can even throw the paper away. It may even be beneficial to rip it into tiny pieces, take your stress and anger out on the paper.
Meditate
Sitting alone in a quiet space focusing on your breath has been found to release stress. Meditation does take practice and sometimes it is hard to clear the mind, but the benefits are outstanding. Try using a guided meditation in the beginning. I have some saved on my YouTube channel.
Affirmations
Talk yourself out of the stress. You can say things like:
“I got this”
“This is easy”
“I am relaxed”
“I am letting go of my worries and fears”
“I can handle any situation”
Or make up whatever positive affirmation works for you.
Whatever you do, DON’T repeat negative statements, things like:
“I don’t know what to do”
“How am I going to get through this”
“Why is my life so stressful”
“What else can go wrong”
…and the list goes on.
Do yourself a favor and try to harness that negative energy.
Don’t let it control you!
Take a bath or shower
If you take a bath, try meditating or clearing your mind. Don’t just soak there stewing in the stress of the day. If you are showering, visualize the stress of the day washing off of you.
There are many other ways to reduce stress. There is not a one size fits all approach. You may need to rent a room on the beach and sit alone on the balcony watching the waves. You may need to be creative and draw or paint. You may find peace in reading or in prayer. Find whatever works for you and actually do it! Make time for self-care.
Once the world goes back to normal, I know I can’t carry stress the way I was before. My eyes are open to how stress is destroying my body. I suffered from almost every symptom of prolonged stress. Since having this break, most of the symptoms have either decreased or gone away completely.
Please take a moment and evaluate your stress level.
Do you have any symptoms of prolonged stress?
Are you slowly killing your body and making it susceptible to disease?
We don’t have to be busy every second of the day to justify our existence.
Self-care isn’t selfish or lazy, it is NECESSARY!
Take care of yourself.
“Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel” – Eleanor Brownn
Relax. Unwind. Breathe.
Until next time,
Sherry