Written by Stacey Chillemi
Many women suffer from stress. Suffering from stress is very common. Some women experience: fatigue, depression, weight gain or loss, loss of libido, loss of pleasure, lack of concentration, pronounced disinterest in one's surrounding and the world in general, and some may experience suicidal thoughts.
There are different levels of stress. Some women experience low levels of stress. Low level of stress may not be noticeable. Medium stress does not have to be a negative experience. It can be positive experience and challenge us to act in productive and creative ways. High levels can be damaging to your mind, body and spiritual well-being. Our levels of stress change as we engage in new experiences in our life such as school, a new job, speaking in front of a group of people, marriage, problems with people who you interact with on a daily basis, and the list goes on.
Our everyday responsibilities of life can be very stressful. The key is to learn how to deal with your stress and not let it get the best of you. One big mistake that we all make is that we neglect ourselves because we have become so preoccupied focusing on everyone else that we forget about ourselves.
The first step to eliminating the stress in your life is learning to take time out for you.
- Take a hot bubble bath for fifteen minutes. Also, place an oatmeal bath in the water.
- Lie in the bath tub and close your eyes, take four deep breaths slowly.
- While you are taking these deep breaths clear all thoughts from your mind. Focus on the feeling of the warm water touching your body and the breathing techniques that you are doing at that moment.
- Think about something positive and pleasant. Envision something that makes you happy. Focus on something that makes you feel good about yourself.
- Let go of any negative thoughts that you have stored in your mind. Just to think about one thing that makes you feel good about yourself.
- Take four more deep breaths relax for a minute and get out of the bathtub.
- Get dressed, go to a quiet place and sit on the floor. Close your eyes and slowly bend forward, relaxing any tight muscles that are causing you tension. Bend to the left, stretching your arms as far as they will go, then stretch to the right, repeating the movement.
- Take five more deep breaths and say aloud "I have the patience to become the person I want to become in life." Say, "I am not going to let the stress I feel control me."
- Repeat step seven and eight
- Take five more deep breaths and listen to yourself when you're doing this exercise.
Concentrate on yourself while doing this exercise. Do not let any distractions impose on your quiet time. Do not think about anything except this exercise and the techniques it involves.
STEP TWO:
- Create a journal in the beginning of the book called the priority calendar.
- Take at least fifteen minutes each day and ask your self these questions.
- What do you regret not having made more time for?
- If you had more time, what would you do with it?
- What are the top ten priorities in your life right now?
- What are your family-related goals?
- What are your business goals? - In the back of the journal, take a quarter of the notebook and title it your Daily Diary. Dedicate the diary to you. Write about the how you felt each day and what made you feel this way. Expressing your emotions on paper helps release your stress and helps heal any unsettled emotions that you may be carrying inside yourself. The goal is to let yourself open up and write intimately and honestly about how you feel.
Working on yourself can be tough if you have a busy schedule; nevertheless, don't let that stop you. You have to make time for yourself. Remember; you come first in life. You need to believe that you are the best. You cannot take care of the people who mean the most to you or do the things in life that you want to do, if your mental, physical and spiritual well-being is not intact and strong.
On the weekends take time to reward yourself. For example, take in a movie or reward yourself with some quiet time to relax and focus just on yourself. To me there is nothing better than being alone with yourself. Do something that makes you happy. Remember, you cannot make others happy until you are happy with yourself.
Develop a special time in the day for quiet time. Studies have shown that individuals who have a daily quiet time are less likely to become ill, and heal faster from illness than those who do not. Take a few minutes during the day to write in your journal. Try to make it the same time each day. Perhaps when no one is home or just before you start the day in the morning. You could also wait till everyone goes to sleep so that no one will bother you. Give yourself at least fifteen minutes to a half hour. Think of ways to strengthen yourself spiritually and emotionally. Make sure you do not limit yourself because you feel sorry for yourself because you have a stressful life. That is self pity and it is unhealthy. You will never get anywhere in life if you pity yourself. Free yourself from any walls you have built around yourself.
Now repeat this process each day and review the things you have written in your journal. These techniques will help you reduce the stress in your life. Keep doing these techniques each day till you feel better and you have become completely satisfied with yourself. You should always work on bettering yourself. Everyone is special and needs to take time out for themselves. There is no excuse for neglecting yourself.
Stacey Chillemi is the author of Epilepsy You're Not Alone, an inspirational book written for people living with epilepsy. inspired by her own battles with epilepsy, Chillemi wrote a book to give those coping with the disorder greater self esteem, hope and motivation to continue living normal life’s.
