Stress is stealing your shine!
Hey Gorgeous,
I like to think I know a little bit about stress, and what it does to our health. I am a YES person, arguably a flaw of mine, and last year I made it my mission to expand my business, train and complete an ultramarathon as well as continue my full time job as a Dietitian at a hospital. I would run home from work for hours in the dark to fit training in, and stay at work later than everyone else most days of the week so I could finish slightly earlier one day and fit in my own clients. I looked horrible, the shine in my eyes was gone.
As well as work and sport commitments, I felt pressure to maintain friendships, some of which I didn’t really value anymore and said yes to more social activities than I probably should have. I made it through, and feel like myself again for the first time in MONTHS. But what was the cost?
My point here isn’t to gather sympathy, it is to highlight the pressure modern women experience. We work AND keep homes, and are always exposed to messages that tell us we need to do more, see more, be healthier, be happier, be a better wife, girlfriend, sister, friend, employee. Its exhausting.
Stress matters because it not only affects our mental health, but also our body. Hormones released in times of stress affects our digestion, fertility and ability to rest! Without rest we have no chance to recover, so we use stimulants like caffeine to stay afloat. That innocent latte makes us produce more stress hormones, and around and around we go!
I thought I would share my strategies for dealing with stress, and while I struggled to step back and implement these last year, this year conquering stress is my mission.
TIP ONE: Prioritise
Prioritise what NEEDS doing. The washing doesn’t need folding, but you need to finish that work project. Gift your spare time only to those things or people that light you up. Committing to social events that you feel you “have to” attend is a waste of your shine, and only adds to stress.
TIP TWO: Evaluate
Worry only about what you can control, not what you cannot. Evaluate your problems or to do list, and write it down! Step back and see the issues for what they really are, small tasks or bumps in the road.
TIP THREE: Blank space
When was the last time you did nothing? Reading, checking emails or Instagram does not count. Make time in your day (we all have ten minutes gorgeous!) to just be still and check in with yourself. The shower or bath is a great time to do this.