A normal daily grind can be tasking. Schedules, deadlines, family needs, and then recent events all cause stress. Which is why we should all have a stress outlet. It benefits the mind, body, and soul.
Over the years I have allowed stress to dictate how I felt and lived. For my own health I had to make a change. So naturally I reached for my stress outlet without even realizing it.
To better understand stress there is some basic nutrition to know. Stress affects our hormones. Particularly adrenaline. Adrenaline is the “fight or flight” hormone that left unchecked can wreck havoc on how we deal with stress.
Music has always been my getaway from all the hustle and bustle. And as I focused on teaching and playing my instruments more frequent, little did I know that I had stumbled onto my stress outlet.
We cannot simply turn off stress, but the good news is we all can manage it through some healthy outlet.
Maybe it’s a hobby you enjoy. Perhaps prayer, meditation, or exercise. Whatever outlet works best for you, that is your time each day to let your mind and body relax for a while.
One thing I’ve learned about stress as a nutritionist and from personal experience is stress doesn’t go away on its own. It grows, and if we burry our stress inside, such as thoughts or feelings, it can only cause more health problems.
A stress outlet also acts as a coping mechanism. It helps us process emotions, which are very powerful. An emotion can consume us if not controlled.
Stress affected me to the point where I had no other place to turn than to my stress outlets, which was music and prayer. These have been my stress outlets for years and work harmoniously. Just a natural part of my daily routine.
It took a couple years for me to really utilize my stress outlet. To learn how to let it calm down my mind which usually runs ramped with ADHD.
In fact there are some days that get so busy I have to purposefully stop what I'm doing, take a deep breath, and relax for a couple minutes. This is very important to keep stress in check. Otherwise the stressor has no place to go and will build from within causing further issues.
Now that I’ve learned to use my stress outlet properly, I don’t worry like I used to. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. My stress outlet was a game changer and maybe a life saver.
I recently had my annual physical, and the doctor was pleased to see how healthy I was for a 41 year old. One indicator of stress is high blood pressure. My blood pressure has been on point lately.
I’ve spent several years allowing my stress outlet to play an active part of my life. Now I simply don’t stress over little things. Coping with stress has become easier.
Life is much too precious to worry about things you cannot control. And even the things you can control is all the more reason to have an outlet to deal with it.
My schedule changes every week. At first it was stressful, but I've learned to roll with it. Having a stress outlet has definitely helped adapt to the fluxes in my schedule.
Once you figure out the best stress outlet for you, and it can be more than one, use that outlet daily to expedite results. It will give your body and mind a chance to relax a bit each day.
You’ll be much happier when you take control of your life with a healthy stress outlet.
by John Connor, CNC
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