Minimize Stress in Your Life

Its usual for moms and dads to get stressed. How we deal with stress can have either a positive of negative effect on our parently skills and ultimately even on the emotional health of our children. This article will help you find ways to deal with stress appropriately.
Lower your expectations and you will suffer less disappointment. Try seeing everything as already perfect and accept things as they are, then you can strive less and relax more.



Learn to say NO. Next time someone asks you to do something, before the word ‘yes’ slips out, pause, say you can’t give an answer just yet – you’ll get back to them. This technique gives you time to think. Now you can choose to say NO, calmly, politely and kindly.
Do one thing at a time. SLOW DOWN! If you are racing, so is your heart! Write yourself a list, prioritize your tasks and work through your list methodically. You need to enjoy what you are doing, not just the results of your efforts.
Stop trying to fall asleep. So many people go to bed desperate to fall asleep as quickly as possible, and then suffer the frustration of wakefulness. Quit struggling – you need to relax before you can sleep! Be thankful that you are warm, safe and cozy, be glad that your body is resting. Breathe deeply, slowly, gently and listen to your heart beating peacefully.
Laugh more! Get serious an about humor. Laughter is seriously healing. The special chemicals released when we laugh are nature’s finest form of natural medicine. When you’ve suffered a stressful day, make sure you ‘suffer’ some serious humor in the evening. Watch a comedy show or film, one you know will produce copious laughter, to counter the stress you’ve endured. If you want to take a 30 second 'holiday' here is a funny video to watch: http://www.netjoke.ws
Get out in the fresh air! Drab office, the whir of computer hard drives the drone of your boss’s demands. Get outside during your lunch break, find a patch of green, some flowers, even wander around a garden center! Lose yourself in nature and feel your tensions dissipate, for a while at least.

Source: Kim Beardsmore