Seasons: A Poem by Chelsey Stailing

Seasons

When autumn goes and winter grows, Spring will be soon upon us. Summer won't be far behind, So take this time to dance, sing and contemplate How you want your life to go and darling, Let your inner child grow like flowers in the spring After the winter snow melts away.

5 COPING SKILLS FOR WHEN LIFE GETS STRESSFUL

By: Chris Lee

Stress has often been dubbed “the silent killer.” Nearly any illness or disease is worsened by high stress. The way that stress sneaks upon us is the reason it’s referred to as “silent.” As stress takes hold of the mind, thoughts become more despondent. As stress takes hold of the body, muscles tense, arteries narrow and heart rate increases. The central nervous system sends your body into survival mode, also known as “fight or flight.” Over time, living in survival mode wears us down and even affects the immune system. Here are five strategies to help you cope when life gets stressful.

Stay Grounded

To stay grounded is to remain in touch with yourself and your values regardless of what is going on around you. Have you ever reacted to someone in haste or out of anger and later regretted your handling of the situation? Being grounded can allow you to respond to challenges rather than react.

One of the easiest ways to stay grounded is to meditate on a statement or affirmation that reminds you of either what you desire or who you want to be. For example, if you’re struggling with feeling upset by past events or interactions, you could say: “I release the need to dwell on bad feelings.” This will definitely take practice. You’ll likely go through three phases: 1) You’ll feel like this is not working. 2) You’ll start to believe but will have debates in your head. 3) The affirmation will take hold and will begin to have a positive influence on your thoughts and attitude.

Avoid “All or Nothing” Thinking

All or nothing thinking is a distorted thinking pattern where someone views the likely possibilities of a situation only as either the best case scenario or the worst case scenario. Example: “If I bomb this presentation, my boss will probably fire me.” As we know, there are many different possible outcomes to most of life’s situations.

Being present and being mindful are effective ways to combat all or nothing thoughts Become aware of the thoughts, then use positive self-talk to work your way into a better frame of mind. A better feeling thought would sound like this: “I’ve prepared well for this presentation and I will do my very best no matter what.” This statement releases the need to presuppose the worst outcome. Avoid These Hidden Stressors

Life is full of surprises; there’s plenty that happens that we have no control over. Often there are things that contribute to our stress levels that we do have control over but may not realize it. For example, simple things like too much caffeine, the music we choose to listen to, eating junk food, abusing drugs or alcohol, can be silent contributors to our stress.

Exercise

Whether it’s a ten minute walk around the block or a 45-minute exercise class, it’s very important to move your body. On a physical level, exercise enhances your mood and reduces cortisol (the stress hormone). On a spiritual level, exercise moves energy around in your energy field. This frees up your mind, body and spirit to bring you solutions to your trouble, but also to put you in a better position to cope with life’s challenges.

Talk to a Friend

A conversation with a close friend can go a long way towards reducing stress. Good advice, a pep talk or even just a fresh perspective on your situation can help alleviate stress. I schedule weekly or bi-weekly checkins with a few friends and I always leave the call feeling better than when it started.

Managing stress takes intentional effort and practice, but the rewards are definitely worth the effort!