Stress …. every now and then when I’m not paying attention I have a day or two where I accidentally allow stress to overwhelm me. Whatever the circumstances that lead to me stressing are, the point is that I probably wasn’t looking out myself as much I should have been in that moment. I like many other people, am my own worst critic and am quick to judge my actions and efforts as not good enough, when I should actually be my biggest cheerleader! In fact I sometimes find that I am so close to the edge of self-criticisim that when anyone else ever tries to point out a mistake I may or may not be making it feels almost life threatening! Sound familiar?
So how do we ensure that stress doesn’t push us over the edge? One of the many strategies I use is: BREATHE! Breathe baby, breathe. Everything is fine. Remember that there is always a bigger picture that I am not aware of and whatever has happened is minute in comparison. Another great way is just to talk it out with a friend who is open minded enough just to see the situation as it is without creating any drama around it. And finally, it is important to remember that stress is simply a fear reaction to what we are afraid might happen. And when we think about what could possibly be the worst thing that might happen, it really isn’t that bad after all. And just breathe!