Ep 37: 5 Quick Ways to Reduce Stress & Take Back Control (Copy)

Episode show notes:

One of my coaches once said, the difference between panic and excitement is the exhalation. 

And it’s so true. 

A normal reaction to stress is to hold your breath, or breathe very shallow. 

But when you are excited, the exhalation usually comes a bit more easily. 

And that exhalation can be such a game changer. 

Short-term stress responses are a natural part of life, and something that you can’t avoid even if you would love to. 

But, long-term chronic stress is not something to take lightly as the consequences of that will affect you in a number of negative ways. 

I know this does not come as a surprise to you and I’m sure you are very aware of it. 

But what can you do to reduce the stress reactions? 

In this episode, I will go through five ways that will support you to handle stress better and feel more in control. 

Other episodes mentioned or related to stress/stress symptoms/sleep/meditation/relaxation:

34: 15 Healthy Habits to Better Sleep and Higher Performance
28: The Breath of Success: Unlocking Energy and Efficiency in Minutes
17: The Positive Effects of Meditation on Performance, Productivity & Wellbeing
12: How to Know When to Pull the Brake, Part 1 (Physical & Emotional Symptoms of Chronic Stress)

Hi ladies.

I talk quite a lot about stress in this podcast, and that is because it is such an important topic and it affects us all. Short-term stress, as you know, is a natural part of life and is not dangerous.

But when you live in a constant state of high stress, this will affect you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Stress is a pretty complex subject, and there are so many things that can trigger a stress response, everything from sleep deprivation to a packed inbox to back-to-back meetings to kids, to ill parents or situations happening in our lives.

But no matter the source of the stress, there are some things that will help. So I will go through a list of five things that you can do to reduce your stress and to calm down your system.

And all of these things are stuff I practice myself and that I also teach my clients in my program, Brilliant Leaders.

1. Deep Breathing

The first is to breathe.

Extending your exhalation will activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the quickest way to signal to your body and your brain that you are safe. Deep breathing will also support the brain with more oxygen so you can think better.

2: Make a Brain Dump

Write down everything that is going on in your life. Prioritize and color code everything in that list. This exercise can give you a sense of control and clarity.

3: Notice your thoughts, feelings and connect with your body. 

Notice your thoughts, feelings, and connect with your body. Labeling your thoughts and paying attention to your feelings can be supportive. Connecting with your body will instantly take you back to the present moment.

4: Prioritize Sleep & Rest

A sleep-deprived body and brain will create a lot of cortisol, the stress hormone. Focusing on getting enough quality and quantity sleep is crucial to combat stress.

5: Reduce caffeine.

Caffeine spikes both cortisol and adrenaline, increasing stress and anxiety. Reducing caffeine intake can significantly lower your stress levels.

So here were five things. Of course, there are a lot more, but starting with these five, I'm sure it will make a big difference.

Let me know how it goes, and good luck. As always, please send me a DM if this is something that was of value to you.

I love receiving feedback or thoughts from you on the stuff I share in this podcast.

I'm very excited to celebrate my first year anniversary for this podcast.

Thank you to all of you who kept on listening during this time, and welcome to all my new listeners. If you have not yet subscribed, please do so. This will help the podcast to grow and be shown to more people.

Right now, I have a few spots open in my program, Brilliant Leaders. If you are curious about working together, please send me a DM and I will get back to you with a link to book a discovery call.

Take care of yourself and go be a badass.