Okay, I’m not going to pretend that a few tips in a short blog post are going to change your life, but I’m writing this one because handling stress is something I struggle with at times. Life gets on top of us and it’s easy to lose ourselves in all the life admin and our enormous to do lists. So, here are a few things I’m trying to do to make life easier and hopefully they’ll be useful to you too.

Get out of the Guilt Trap

I made a resolution at the start of the year to be kinder to myself and believe me, it’s not an easy one to keep up! At times of stress it’s easy to slide back into a cycle of self-blame and guilt. Most of the time it seems to be my default mode! I feel guilty about all the things I haven’t managed to do, I stress about all the things I need to do tomorrow, and generally just feel bad about myself. Breaking that cycle isn’t easy but it’s important to recognise when I’m falling into that trap and take a step away.

Be Kind to Yourself

Once you’ve taken that step back, give yourself a break! You’re not superhuman and there are only so many hours in a day. No one has the perfect life no matter what Instagram might say. Again, this is something I struggle with. My current trick is to take a few minutes and have a cup of tea, thinking about all the things I have managed to get done and reminding myself it isn’t actually the end of the world if the house isn’t spotless or dinner isn’t the most balanced meal I’ve ever made. We’re often quick to praise everyone else but then talk to ourselves like we’re rubbish. It’s time that changes for us all!

Get Rid of the Stress

Find a way to relieve stress that works for you. You might like crafting, walking, knitting, or colouring. I like working out. I’m always kinder to myself when I’m working out regularly. It helps me to physically shift tension in my muscles and find some peace mentally. Whether it’s pushing myself through a tough workout or balancing my body with yoga, I always come away feeling better than I did at the start and nearly always proud of myself for trying. Whatever you love doing, find a way to take a break, step out of the world and just be for a little while. Even five minutes can make all the difference.

What are your top tips for handling stress? What are your go-to methods for keeping calm in all the madness? Let me know in the comments below!

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