For better or worse, one of the few guarantees you will experience is stress. The question is how well you can manage it. We all deal with stress on a daily basis. Stress can be caused by something happening at work, personal troubles, relationships, finances, health, etc. When you experience stress, its effects can be far-reaching, including a downturn in your overall happiness and health, all while increasing your anxiety. Even if you cannot get rid of stress completely, there are ways to better manage it and let go of that impending feeling of doom.
Start Distancing Yourself
Whether it is people or a thing, the best thing you can to start letting go of stress is to distance yourself. Are you in a relationship that causes you more stress than not? It’s time to say goodbye. Are you at a job where your boss makes your life a nightmare? It’s time to say goodbye. Letting go and distancing yourself is not easy and is not meant to be, but it will have a significant impact on your general stress level. Start by taking a few steps back and look to see the big picture. If you see things with a new set of eyes, it’s time to accept that distance is your best option.
Focus on the Present
As hard as it may be, focusing on the present is far better for your stress level than worrying about the past. Learning to live in the present will make you stronger emotionally and help you manage your stress level. Did something bad happen at work yesterday? Accept that it happened and make today better than yesterday. The past is a memory, and the future is yours to write. The only thing you can control is what is happening right now. Let go of the past. It’s unquestionably one of the best things you can do to remove unnecessary stresses from your life.
Concentrate on What You Can Control
There are things you can control and things you cannot. The sooner you are able to accept that, the easier it will be to let go of stress. When the time comes that you are upset or bothered about something you cannot control, think about how you can look at this differently in your mind.
For example, let’s say it’s raining outside and that ruins your plans to go to the movies. Instead of being stressed about not being able to go, turn this into a cozy movie night at home. It might end up being a better experience than the original plan. Controlling stress is all about adapting to change and that’s why focusing on what you can control is so important.
Shift Energy into What You Want
One of the fastest ways to let go of stress is to shift all of your energy into things you want. The faster you are able to make this transition, the faster you will be able to stop putting energy into anything that is disrupting your world. What is it you want to get out of today? Put your energy into that.
The next time you have a rough moment at work, think about what you want to get out of your workday. Just as you will focus on only the things you can control, the same lesson applies to putting your energy into the things you want. That’s how you let go of stress. If you hold on to negativity and let it weigh you down, stress can start to feel like a ton of bricks on your shoulders.
Focus on Yourself
One of the most important elements of letting go of stress is to remember that you need to focus on you. Instead of letting work or relationships weigh you down, find a hobby and something to distract you. Go for a walk and allow your mind to concentrate on the outdoors, even if it’s only a temporary reprieve from the stresses of your world.
It’s important that you remember that you are not any good to anyone around you unless you take care of yourself first. By focusing on yourself and doing things you enjoy, you will find yourself letting go of stress and a sense of calm coming over you. It’s not an indefinite feeling, as it will take continuous work to practice focusing on yourself, but as you do, you will find stresses in your life floating away.
Be Forgiving
Grudges are poison as is holding on to the past. There are things that have happened in our lives that we may not be proud of that had a big impact on your current state of mind. There is no question that it’s hard to let go of the past, but you have to. Allowing old wounds to open can hurt, but you need to forgive them and move on.
Forgiveness can be tough, but allowing it to happen can remove some significant stresses in your life. It won’t be easy, and it shouldn’t be. It takes real mental strength to forgive, but the reward is worth it. More importantly, don’t just worry about forgiving others. Forgive yourself, too, for mistakes you have made in the past. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them.
Wrapping up
There is no question there are more things that can be added to this list that will help you let go of stress. Meditation is an example. No matter what is on the list or what is missing, the most important thing is your peace of mind. You are stronger than you think and more capable than you believe. Letting go of stress is not hard if you know the right steps to take. Each of these steps will set you down the proper path to lifting stresses out of your life and saying goodbye to them forever.