How to Stress Less and Live More
Isn’t it funny how it is always the small annoying things in life that we stress over and make huge issues out of? Lord knows we all have enough on our plate, why would we want to add more? Logic says you wouldn’t but reality shows that we all do. For me, manners are a big deal and when people leave out please and thank you, it drives me nuts. I actually say it for them (mostly in my head, but sometimes it slips out of my non filtered mouth). That is a small thing that I make a larger one. These people aren’t my kids, what do I care? This is a very small thing that I should never allow to bother me. Why would I allow this stranger’s lack of manners affect my minute? We all do this though. We all stress over the small stuff!
The way I see it is life is going to happen whether you stress out or not, so choose not! Stress has absolutely no benefit. It is used as an excuse for most people, a crutch for others, and as a way to stay miserable for people that are determined to be miserable! The cure for stress is action. You can either sit around stewing over your issues while slowing killing yourself or you can take action towards rectifying your issues at hand.
Stress Statistics
| Statistic Verification |
| Source: American Psychological Association, American Institute of Stress, NY |
| Research Date: 7.8.2014 |
| Top Causes of Stress in the U.S. | ||
| Cause | Factors | |
| 1 | Job Pressure | Co-Worker Tension, Bosses, Work Overload |
| 2 | Money | Loss of Job, Reduced Retirement, Medical Expenses |
| 3 | Health | Health Crisis, Terminal or Chronic Illness |
| 4 | Relationships | Divorce, Death of Spouse, Arguments with Friends, Loneliness |
| 5 | Poor Nutrition | Inadequate Nutrition, Caffeine, Processed Foods, Refined Sugars |
| 6 | Media Overload | Television, Radio, Internet, E-Mail, Social Networking |
| 7 | Sleep Deprivation | Inability to release adrenaline and other stress hormones |
| U.S Stress Statistics | Data |
| Percent of people who regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress | 77 % |
| Regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress | 73 % |
| Feel they are living with extreme stress | 33 % |
| Feel their stress has increased over the past five years | 48 % |
| Cited money and work as the leading cause of their stress | 76 % |
| Reported lying awake at night due to stress | 48 % |
| Stress Impact Statistics | |
| Percent who say stress has a negative impact on their personal and professional life | 48 % |
| Employed adults who say they have difficulty managing work and family responsibilities. | 31 % |
| Percent who cited jobs interfering with their family or personal time as a significant source of stress. | 35 % |
| Percent who said stress has caused them to fight with people close to them | 54 % |
| Reported being alienated from a friend or family member because of stress | 26 % |
| Annual costs to employers in stress related health care and missed work. | $300 Billion |
| Percent who say they are “always” or “often” under stress at work | 30 % |
| People who cited physical symptoms experienced the following | |
| Fatigue | 51 % |
| Headache | 44 % |
| Upset stomach | 34 % |
| Muscle tension | 30 % |
| Change in appetite | 23 % |
| Teeth grinding | 17 % |
| Change in sex drive | 15 % |
| Feeling dizzy | 13 % |
| People who cited psychological symptoms experienced the following | |
| Irritability or anger | 50 % |
| Feeling nervous | 45 % |
| Lack of energy | 45 % |
| Feeling as though you could cry | 35 % |
According to the above chart, the top 7 reasons for stress in our lives are all easily changed by our actions! I am going to list my suggestions to each one of the 7 top reasons. I know they have worked for me and many of my client’s and I hope they work for you as well.
1. Job Pressure – Co-worker tension, Bosses, and work overload
The number one reason for stress is job pressure! This is such an easy fix. I understand that not everybody can up and leave their unhappy job. If you can then do, right now. If not, you need to make a daily or minute by minute decision to be happy. We are all professionals and grown-ups so to allow tension between a co-worker stress you out is wasted emotion! Obviously not everybody will like each other but in the workplace, you must be professional…which means you need to rectify the issues and move forward. Being kind to one another is mandatory, this isn’t 7th grade! If you are having trouble with your boss then figure out how to best communicate with her/him. Talk to them and give them a chance to earn their position. Same goes for work overload, you must communicate to the proper people about how you are feeling and what you need in order to accomplish your workload. If these do not work, begin searching for your new job!
2. Money
Stressing out over the lack of money is like poking your own eye and wondering why your eye hurts! The money you have is a direct reflection of the actions you have taken to earn it (in most cases). The best way to not stress out over money is by being busy with actions to earn the needed money. I promise you, stress does not pay the bills (I have tried it and they still insisted on payment in the form of money). The more positive, useful actions you take towards gaining money, the less time you have to stress over the lack of.
3. Health
This is a very hard one because many times it is out of our hands and here in the USA many times it is something that we cannot afford to get the medical attention needed! When it all comes down to it though, stressing over it will only make matters worse. Stress is a HUGE reason the medical field is constantly busy. Don’t get me started on the pharmaceutical companies! My suggestion is to do what you can with what you have. Make sure your attitude is in the right mode, and if it is somebody you love’s health then make sure you are emotionally there for them as needed! Along with those actions, I am a big fan of prayer!
4. Relationships
Once again, stress does nothing positive for relationship issues. More often than not, stress just irritates us further than if we simply confronted the issue. Here is the reality, not every relationship was meant to last forever. Parents, siblings, and Spouse – Do everything you can to make it a great relationship. Make sure that you are communicating effectively. If you are constantly stressing over a friendship, it may not be a true friendship and might be healthier to let it go! Relationships should be happy, healthy, and mutually beneficial. If not, stress is absolutely not your cure, actions are!
5. Poor nutrition
The way you eat and drink affects your body in every single way! If you are a stressful type of person, pay attention to what you are shoveling into your body! Do the research to find out what you are doing that is positive and negative and how you can alter it to release stress from your life! This is entirely in your control, you have absolutely no excuse to allow yourself to be stressed due to what you are consuming.
6. Media Overload
Heck yea this will stress you out! Monitor yourself and how your body reacts to what you are watching, reading, or listening to. I very seldom watch the mainstream news because it is filled with fluff and stuff that I do not consider news, which ultimately makes me feel stressed because I begin wondering what is really going on with our world! In the past year, I have had one full 4 day vacation that I shut off all forms of electronics. I have had a few days here and there that I deemed a no electronics day, but other than that, I am using some sort of electronic device for the majority of my day. You need to know what your stress triggers are when it comes to media you must monitor yourself and focus on the ones that do not create stress for you.
7. Sleep Deprivation
Everybody has different sleep needs. I am good with 5-6 hours of sleep while others need 7-9 hours. If I am tired, I become nasty and allow everything to get under my skin. I know many people that react the same way. You must make yourself a priority and arrange your time so that you get the amount of sleep that your body needs. When you are well rested, you are much more likely to handle situations with a rational mind than if you are consistently sleep deprived!
Stressing out is truly not just killing you, it is killing your present happiness, and hindering your success. The more you stress, the less you live. Stress does not just fall upon you, you allow it to happen, which means you have that same power to make it not happen!
Take the actions needed to really live your life, not filled with stress and worry but with happiness and actions! Your time is way too precious to be spent on stress. Remember, you have right now to change the way you live, I suggest making the choice to stress less and live more!
You are far too fabulous to be a stress mess! Get out and live the life you desire, not the one that is killing you from the inside out! #bestadvice #stressless #inspirational
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