Stress is a part of life for most people in today’s modern world. Since it’s pretty likely that you will encounter a stressful situation at some point, learning how to manage your stress could mean the difference between a breakdown or a breakthrough.

If you were to look in a dictionary, the first definition of stress reads “pressure or tension exerted on a material object”. This definition is actually in reference to the concept of stress in the field of physics, but the idea applies the same way when we’re talking about stress in the context of the human body.

When we’re under stress, there is a huge strain placed on the nervous system. As most of us know, the brain is the main component of the nervous system, so we can think of stress as “brain strain”. This “brain strain” limits our mental, emotional, and physical capacity because so much extra energy is being used to try to regulate the nervous system. When we’re stressed out, we literally are functioning with “half a brain”.

I could go on and on about how our lives suffer when we’re constantly stressed out, but instead I’m going to share an easy process to managing and releasing your stress.

Step 1: STOP! 

When you notice you’re getting stressed (or you’re already stressed), take a moment and just stop whatever it is you’re doing. If possible, go somewhere where you won’t be bothered for a while. Give yourself permission to put everything that “has to be done” on hold. Remember, when we’re operating in a stressed out condition, we aren’t functioning at our full capacity.

Step 2: Check In With Yourself

Start by taking a few deep breaths. Come back into your body and notice what you’re feeling. Just pay attention to the sensations that you notice. After observing your body for a few minutes, ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” Let the answer come up. Once you find the words to express how you’re feeling, go ahead and admit it to yourself. For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, verbally say to yourself “I’m feeling overwhelmed right now.”

Step 3: Go Do Something Else

Once you’ve admitted to yourself that you’re stressed out, take some time and go do something that you enjoy doing. The purpose of this step is to put some emotional distance between you and your stressor. It’s much easier to make decisions right after you did something that put you in a good mood, than it is right when your stressor is breathing down your throat. At this point in the process, applying a method such as FasterEFT would be a great choice. It’s an easy method that will help release stress from the nervous system. Whatever you decide to do is an individual choice, but the most important thing is that the activity is something that feels good.

Step 4: Revisit Your Stressor

Before proceeding, ask yourself, “Am I feeling better?” If the answer is no, go back and repeat step 3. Once you’re feeling better, revisit the idea of whatever it was that was causing your stress. Ask yourself “What about this is stressing me out?”, and wait for the answer. Is it lack of time? Too much on your plate at once? Lack of preparation? Lack of ability? Fear you’ll fail? Give yourself permission to be brutally honest with yourself.

For example, you might be studying for an exam and find yourself really stressed out. Your first inclination might be to blame the exam for your stress, but upon completing this step you might find that it isn’t the exam itself that’s stressing you out, it’s the fact that the exam is tomorrow and you haven’t paid attention all semester! The most important part of this step is to get clear about the root of your stress.

Step 5: Make A New Game Plan

Stress is basically the body’s way of letting us know that something we’re doing isn’t working, which means we’re usually going to have to change something to alleviate the stressor. After determining the root of your stress, ask yourself, “What would be the most effective way to proceed forward?” Wait for an answer, and then check back in with yourself. Ask “How does this plan of action make me feel?” Notice the sensations in your body. If your new plan of action feels good, then congratulations! Go ahead move on to step 6. If your new plan of action isn’t clear right away, reflect back on the stressor and ask yourself, “What was going right? What was I doing that was working?” Repeat steps 3-5 as necessary.

Step 6: Proceed Onward

Now that you have an awareness of what was stressing you out, and a new plan to move forward, I think you’ll find yourself much less stressed than you originally were. Give yourself permission to stop thinking about the “results” of your efforts so much, and just give 100% of your attention to the task at hand. Overly worrying about the results (future oriented thinking), or beating yourself up over what went wrong (past oriented thinking) are just distractions at this point. If you find yourself getting distracted by these types of thoughts, gently direct your attention back to the task at hand. Remind yourself that you can do it.

This six-step process will help you get back on the right track if you find yourself in the midst of a stressful situation. If you’re anticipating a stressful situation, remember that taking the initiative in preventing stress goes a long way. “Most people don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan.” Be aware of what triggers your stress reaction, and come up with a plan that works for you.

See stressful situations for what they are—temporary. If you’re overloaded with stress and are having trouble seeing the bigger picture, gently remind yourself that “this too shall pass.”

Below is a list of things that have been shown to significantly reduce stress levels:

1. Listening to music
2. Dancing
3. Exercising
4. Laughing
5. Faster EFT (Tapping)
6. Going for a walk
7. Meditation
8. Yoga
9. Getting enough sleep
10. Eating healthy meals
11. Anything you enjoy that leaves you feeling recharged!