In today’s world, stress seems to be just another part of every day life. You face stress from work, family, personal relationships, money crunches, planning for the future, and dealing with the present. If you don’t have a good way to cope with the many stressors that you face, it can lead to depression, anxiety, and physical health problems like high blood pressure and stomach ulcers.
There are a number of ways that you can cope with the stress of life. Finding healthy ways to cope will put you on the right track to good mental and physical health. Some people turn to alcohol, cigarettes, and other bad habits for stress relief. But there are much better methods.
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Meditation
Many people claim that they are simply unable to meditate. For some, this is true. Meditation requires you to sit or lie quietly, and for some people that is simply not possible. However, part of the problem is that people have a misconception of what it means to meditate. When you meditate you do not need to empty your mind of everything. Instead, you allow thoughts to travel through your mind without really acknowledging them. It does take practice.
One of the best ways to get into meditation is to use guided meditations. There are a vast number of resources for guided meditations. These usually involve a video with music and pictures, and perhaps a narrator. There are also guided meditations that are simply audio files with soothing music and narration. The narrator will walk you through the process in low, soothing tones.
Visualization
For people who have trouble meditating, visualization is another good coping skill for dealing with stress. With visualization, you choose a place that is important to you or brings you peace. You close your eyes and imagine yourself in that place. Then, in your mind find at least one thing that you can touch, one thing that you can hear, one thing that you can see, one thing that you can taste, and one thing that you can smell.
If you don’t have a good idea of a place that brings you peace, such as a favorite camping spot, hiking trail, or nature park, you can use guided visualizations as well. These are audio files with soothing music in the background while a narrator leads you through a visualization exercise. The narrator will tell you what to see and sense within your mind’s eye.
Therapy and Support
If you still have trouble coping with stress, therapy is a good option. Licensed therapists are able to teach you additional coping skills and help you learn how to eliminate the stress from your life. If you don’t have time for traditional in-person therapy, there are other options.
Websites such as betterhelp.com offer online counseling that is available any time of the day or night. You can access it with the internet or via a mobile app for your tablet or smartphone. You can video conference, voice chat, or text chat with a therapist. This allows you not only ongoing therapy but also on the spot support when you need it most.
