When stress causes distress
Chicas, we all get stressed out in our daily lives. Ain’t that the truth?! Whether it’s having to find a new place to live, taking care of someone who is sick, missing a flight connection, or meeting a tight work deadline – stress… ¡es el Diablo!
I’ve stressed out over a client paying me late, as in three months late. Driving in Miami totally stresses me out, as does having my blood drawn and watching my weight. ¡Ay! I just want to yank my hair out, or take a nap, or scream until I lose my voice, or melt into a puddle of tears, or plan my big escape.
Consejito: Breathing can be an immediate stress reducer. Inhale deeply through your nose and fill your lungs to capacity, then exhale deeply through your mouth and empty your lungs. Do so several times, and feel how wonderful that oxygen intake is.
While temporary stress may not harm you, the danger with chronic stress is that it can impact your emotional, mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
On an emotional and mental health level, stress can make you feel overwhelmed and depressed. It can cause anxiety, loneliness, nervousness, anger, frustration, obsessive/compulsive behavior, memory loss and more.
Physically speaking, stress can age you, zap your energy, give you stomach pangs, make you gain weight, trigger an eczema breakout (this has happened to me!) and lower your immune system. The list goes on: insomnia, headaches, lower sex drive, dizziness, nausea, body aches, fatigue, heart disease, etc.
Stress can also impact you spiritually, as it can chip away at your spirit, zap your zest for life, fill your life with darkness, and destroy your inner peace. It can even make you question the universe, the purpose of life, or if there is a higher power.
Before it gets worse and you feel like your head will explode, let’s explore ways to take control of the situation and keep your sanity.
Consejito: Catching up with an old friend AKA “soul sister” always make me smile, laugh, reminisce and escape from stress! Our Chicas are our chosen family. Read more HERE.
I’ve always loved words, and as a kid I’d bring home blue ribbons from school spelling bees. I love language, am an avid book reader, and kept diaries all my adolescence and young adulthood. I still write in journals, and find it to be such a stress reliever. There is something healing about putting pen to paper, letting your thoughts flow, ridding yourself of worry, and leaving it all there on the page.
The power of being still, perfectly still, is remarkable. Prayer helps me converse with the universe, and quiet the disruptive noise of stress. Meditation helps me connect with and calm my spirit, and dissolve harmful emotional stress.
And sometimes, when the stress feels too heavy to carry, a good crying session is in order. Chicas, let your inhibitions go, and allow those tears to flow. It’s a soothing release.
Embracing nature helps you reconnect with the outside world, so take a walk. When I worked in an office, I’d take a much-needed break from the phone and computer. Now that I work from home, I still walk away from my computer, walk away from the stress, and walk outside for a bit.
We all know working out helps in the fight against stress. It releases endophins, takes your mind off the stress, gives you clarity and is part of a healthy lifestyle. See my latest post on great ways to get active HERE.
If you don’t have the time to book a spa massage right away, then bring on the bubbles… ahhhhhh! How relaxing is a bath, the soothing scent of lavender filling the air while the warm water envelops you. Talk about a stress reliever. Out with the troubles, and in with the rejuvenation. You will re-emerge a new woman!
Light a candle. It can be a religious prayer candle, or a fragranced candle (I especially love florals like rose and gardenia.) Candles bring a different dimension to your space, and can calm your anxiety.
Re-align with things that bring you joy. Painting my nails makes me happy, especially because I love to play with bright colors. Some Chicas love to bake, some love to read a book, and some love to shop. When your heart is happy, there is no room for stress.
Hit the road. Whether it’s a day trip, overnight trip, weekender or a week off – take a mental health break. Sightseeing works wonders, especially when it is miles of open road ahead of you. Time to create memories, leave the stress behind, and just be present in the moment.
Consejito: Cleanse your space. I love burning Champa incense, but find one that you love. Dried sage is recommended, as is sandalwood incense. Wave it around you, throughout your home (and work space if you work from home like I do.) And, repeat an empowering mantra to break the cycle of stress.
If all else fails, seek professional help. Once upon a time, therapy was my saving grace. Life was coming at me super fast and super hard, the stress was mounting high and becoming a bigger challenge to climb over. I learned ways to tackle it head-on, and work my way through it. (And, my Buddhist psychotherapist introduced me to the religion, but I’ll save that for another post!)
Chicas, a healthy life = a healthy emotional, mental, physical and spiritual self. So, what are your secrets to fighting stress? Please share as I’d love to hear from you!
xo
Mamá decía, “La salud es la mayor riqueza.”