Feeling stressed out? I feel you.

We all find ourselves gripped too tight sometimes. White-knuckling whatever outcome. Totally normal.

Figurative white knuckles mean we care about ourselves and our lives.

This is GOOD.

Cool, but what can we do to peel back the white knuckles and release the tension inside our minds and hearts when we’re freakin’ out?

Good question.

I say we all have different things that work uniquely for each of us… sometimes things overlap, and sometimes what works for you won’t work for anyone else.

It’s all all good.

I encourage you to know what works for you so when you find yourself stressed out, you don’t have to figure out something to do to help ease you out of it, you can just go to your tried-and-true list and make it happen.

So make that list of your stuff.

Hang it up somewhere in your office, or bedroom, or just know where to find it when your stress strikes.

I also think it’s useful to share what works for us in case some of our stuff will help another, so here we go…

Here’s a list of things I do when I get stressed:

1. Breathe. Quite literally and deliberately. I first feel my stress in my body physically. My chest or head get tight and I pause, first taking however many big cleansing breaths as I need to give me a more chill starting point to look at what’s triggering me more closely.

2. Make progress. If I know specifically what’s causing me stress, and if there’s any productive action I can take toward that end, I do it. Even when your feelings would have you be lazy, remember positive progress is a very powerful antidote to fear and overwhelm. F*ck yeah.

3. Detach from the outcome. Stress makes us so freakin’ serious. And like I said above, it’s GREAT that we care about ourselves and our lives! It’s just useful to recognize that attaching too much to the specifics of any outcome actually ironically does the likelihood of those outcomes an actual disservice. Find the sweet spot of caring enough to take positive deliberate action, and being detached enough to remember that no matter what happens you’re awesome and the Universe has your back.

4. Give back. When you’re still struggling and the first 3 aren’t quite working, it always feels good to be of service. It can be entirely unrelated to whatever is stressing you out too, and usually works best when it is actually. Write a nice note to someone you love, mail a little present, smile at the cashier in the store, hold the door for someone, WHATEVER. Big or small this stuff adds up in a good way.

5. Laugh. Stress can totally steal our shine, that’s for sure. Again, this is totally normal. It weighs on us like an energetic lead blanket. One of the easiest ways lighten up is to see the comedy in life. It’s ALLLLLLLLL around us all the time, we just need to remember that life is comedy to see it. If you have trouble with that reframe, throw some comedy on your Pandora to help you out of your funk, watch a stupid video or two (without slipping down the 3-hour rabbit hole), send a stupid meme to your sibling, ETC. Comedy legit works for me almost every single time.

6. Exercise and consume healthy things. Listen, I know when you’re stressed the LAST thing you feel like you have energy or time for is working out. Remember that your mental and emotional state is critical to you being awesome in ANY of the ways that matter to you, so in effect getting that endorphin boost and feeling of empowerment and self-love that comes from taking good care of our bodies really is directly linked to everything we care about making happen.

7. Connect. We are all wired for human connection, so when we make a real one it just feels good. It automatically boosts our system, helps us feel safer and less alone in the big scary world, and often gives us new inspirations. Real and open conversation connects and supports us energetically in a huge way. And this can be your friends, your family, your therapist, your coach… whomever is on your “team” that you can be real with. Be real with the people you trust and you’ll instantly feel your stress start to dissolve even if it’s uncomfortable at the start.

8. Any combo of any of the above. If you know me at all, you know I looooooooove making funny spoof movies with my friends. So much fun I can’t stand it. For me it’s a combo of 2, 4, 5, and 7. MEGA power for stress relief. Feels so good to give back, to make progress for my business, connect with you all and my friends who agree to play with me, and of course the non-stop laughing that is behind the scenes every time we make one of these. Powerful stuff, my friends! 😀

Right on, so that’s what I do… but the question is, what do YOU do?

Let’s get you prepared now so that whenever stress strikes, you’re ready and able to diffuse it on your own getting back to bright and shiny way sooner.

Heck yes. Post your thoughts, ideas, and lists in the comments, I’d love to hear and help.

Rock on, lovely people!

XO