8 Ways Smart People Stay Calm And Combat Stress

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to improve the way they handle life’s ups and downs.  If you’re smart, you’ll discover the things that work best for you to reach that goal. Unfortunately, stress is a part of our lives these days.  Here are eight things you can try to find the things that will help you stay calm and combat stress.

This is one of my favorites. I schedule time each morning to get my day started with less stress. Depending on my mood, I take that time to meditate, do yoga, read, go for a walk or write in my journal. This starts my day with a clear mind and positive outlook.

Going to the gym to get my body moving is another way I like to de-stress. I take that time to work through IT, whatever IT is for the day. I work hard to leave IT at the gym to help me enjoy the rest of the day.

I was surprised by the results of the adult finger painting class I took recently. I left the class relaxed and joyful. The picture I made with just my fingers amazed me, my husband and my children!  You might also like adult coloring books. Try getting lost in the picture and your mind will leave negative thoughts behind.

You can call positive self-talk affirmations, or just think of them as a way to reduce stress. In fact, we are what we think, and negative self-talk is self-defeating. For example, if you hear yourself thinking, “I can’t do this,” consciously change your self-talk to something more like, “I’ll get this done if I just take one step at a time.”

If you surround yourself with negative people, you’ll find yourself being negative, too. Find ways to minimize the time you spend around negative people; the odds are you can’t change them.

Since you can’t eliminate stress, find your own solutions when you feel yourself in a stressful situation. Try things like counting to 10 before you speak, taking a series of deep breaths, driving in the slow lane rather than weaving through traffic, smelling a rose, or smiling at strangers.

Don’t wait for an extended vacation to relax. Do something you enjoy every day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

Don’t dwell on stressful situations. Avoid asking, “What if I’d done this instead of that?”

Life can be so much sweeter if you empower yourself and make a conscious commitment to handle stress more effectively.

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