Business can be stressful. Life can be stressful.  Stress can be relieved.

When I discuss the issue of stress with my clients I suggest they take a comprehensive approach by focusing on strategies in four different levels of their lives.

Physical – Mental – Emotional – Spiritual

 This multilevel approach gives them the best opportunity for consistent stress relief.  It can work for you too.

Simply choose at least one idea from each level to play with.  Refine your plan as needed until you come up with your own personal Stress Relief Plan.

Physical Level:

• Take a deep breath
• Go for a stroll
• Deep breathing exercises
• Relaxation processes
• Meditation
• Put affirmations around your space
• Nurture your body with good food, exercise
• Healing treatments like massage
• Visualize stress leaving your body when you breathe out
• Burn off your stress with physical action like sports or exercise
• Surround yourself with people who are uplifting

Mental Level:

• Eliminate the words should and have to from your language
• Learn to say no and delegate
• Stop visualizing stress as being bigger than you are
• Focus on what you accomplish, not what is left to do
• Read books that support you
• Challenge your stressful thoughts by asking if they are absolutely true
• Practice mindful meditation
• Focus on gratitude
• Set intentions without attachment to specific outcomes
• Create visualizations that support you (being surrounded by a protective, peaceful aura)
• Use visualizations to shift your thoughts (choosing another song on your Ipod)

Emotional Level:

• Ask for support
• Nurture yourself
• Focus on what is true rather than your emotional reactions
• Heal your history to dissolve triggers (a coach, counselor, minister, or healer can help)

Spiritual Level:

• Trust in a higher power
• See yourself and those around you as souls
• Meditate or pray
• Spend time in nature
• Create spiritual practices that support you
• Surround yourself with reminders of God and spirit

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