First of all, what is the difference between stress and anxiety?
My God, this is stressing me out! Help, I think I am facing an anxiety attack! HUH? How do I know what is happening to me?
All I know is that I feel AWFUL! Let’s analyse and clarify this.
Okay, there is an overlap between the two: body pain, increased heart rate, muscle tension, feeling exhausted, restless and the like. And guess what: I can feel stress for a negative reason and even in anticipation of something of which the outcome is good.
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Grey line differences between stress and anxiety?
1. Stress is usually around for a shorter time. It comes, you deal with it and it gets diluted or goes. Examples are starting a new job or getting married.
Anxiety? This will linger on, sometimes with no reason. Just over-thinking. Perhaps even of things that you don’t even know if they are going to happen. You are dreading the unknown. Example are dreading the results of an exam or having thoughts of dying.
2. Some actual situation or circumstance can make you stressed out, whereas you may be anxious for an imaginary or unknown trigger, not identifiable.
3. When you are stressed, you worry and try to deal with it by lifestyle activities like exercise, nutrition, breath work.
When you’re anxious, your worry is persistent, unrelenting and interferes with physical and behavioural functioning. These don’t go away even in the absence of stressors. You may need help.
All in all, we need to minimize our stress and anxiety levels. Everything is WORKOUTABLE, and MINIMIZABLE!
In short, ANYTHING that makes you feel more relaxed, happier and lighter.
Recommended read: The Stress Handling Formula: Feel-Reveal-Deal-Heal-Seal
Music and Dance
If you are the musical kind, then this is a sure shot for you! Your mood will get elevated, your spirits will soar, your physical muscular tension will dissipate. You can listen to music, take dance classes, play an instrument or just sing. Your feel-good hormones will be activated.
Gardening
This is therapeutic. In the silence that you are in, you are one with your plants and nature. The soothing effect can even lead you to self-talk. Not only yourself, but talking to your plants has a reassuring effect on your thoughts, and believe me, on the plants too. They feel loved, and so will you.
Nature Walks
An extension to any gardening or activity related to Nature. Walk with a friend, listen to music, appreciate life and beauty around you, and this feeling of gratitude will bring a smile to your face and a spring to your steps. Chirp with the birds, and wiggle like the squirrels.
This read may help you: What is the Why of Your Life??
Drawing and Painting
This is an expression of your thoughts, emotions and your feelings. Graffiti, mandala making, just colouring…all these minimize cortisol levels to bring calm and ease into your body and mind. This is one creative outlet where you need to do it, and trust the process of stress relief through it. It happens.
Journaling
Putting your thoughts, feelings and experiences down on paper gives a release which serves anxiety in the long run. People who do this regularly find that they are able to handle difficult situations in their lives with more calm as this exercise builds your resilience muscle. It is a vent pad too.
Creative Writing
This is different to journaling as this feeds your imagination and your passionate creativity to weave stories and the like. This serves as a complete overhaul of your stress or anxiety, and transports you to another world altogether. When back to your world, you are more equipped to deal with what is on hand, with better inner strength.
Cooking
The feeling of creating something delicious to eat, feeding yourself and others, brings joy. Besides cooking, we can focus on eating foods that activate your feel-good hormones like serotonin, to make your feel lighter and more energetic.
Exercise
Any form of physical activity can act as a stress reliever. Endorphins and other natural neural chemicals can boost your sense of well-being. Whether be it yoga, meditation, pranayama, aerobics, gymming…each and every form serves the purpose.
Creative Arts and Crafts
A sense of purpose and structure is created here, and this helps reduce anxiety, especially if you are having problems with time management. The brain rewires gradually to learn to slot step by step, to schedule and manage time better to balance or prioritize whatever is on your mind.
Basic Outlets
Sleeping well and following a routine, eating healthy and regular meals, exercising regularly, self-care, taking time to relax are the basics to minimize stress and anxiety.
Basics are basics, and its importance cannot be undermined.
Which of the above points resonate with you the most?
Which ones are you going to indulge in regularly?
Of course, practical and actionable solutions will need to be worked out for whatever situation is giving you stress and anxiety. But these 10 pillars will definitely steer you towards better health in mind, body and spirit.
If you’re ready to make a change or need support, reach out today – you don’t have to do it alone.
Self Mastery and Life Coach (ICF-PCC)
