mindfulness, journaling, self-care and more strategies for coping with stress
It has been an unpredictable year with COVID-19 still impacting our daily lives. We all continue to deal with uncertainty and the fears of temporary change that can drastically affect wellbeing.
Emotions are constantly evolving and changing. Many of us are experiencing stress, anxiety, and feelings of uneasiness on a regular basis. Stress is a natural defense response that occurs when we’re faced with tough challenges from all different demands of life; work, relationships, finances, school, family, etc.
Not all stress is necessarily bad, and there are times it can help us. It can help when it’s crunch time and we need to hit a deadline, or it can help us focus when we need to practice for a certain activity. But when handled poorly, stress can significantly affect the wellbeing of an individual. It can happen instantly or build up over a long period of time. Stress can be unpredictable, and although it does not always affect us right away, it can lead to some overwhelming feelings down the road.
Finding and using positive coping skills can significantly help anyone who is struggling to manage their stress in all sorts of situations.
There are many different stressors that can affect individuals. Sometimes we dwell on the past and think about the unknowns in the future, but struggle to focus on the present.
When we’re focused on the past, we might remember things that made us angry, ashamed, or disappointed and this usually brings those feelings back into the present moment.
If we’re focused on the future, we often feel overwhelmed or anxious. Humans have the tendency to think about the worst-case scenario before it even happens, which is why these feelings create stress in present times. Managing these thoughts can help rejuvenate your present wellbeing to be prepared for the future and learn from the past.
Deliberately focusing on the present can help us name our current feelings, which can help us feel more relaxed. This is called mindfulness.
Being mindful is a fundamental part of coping with stress.
Along with being mindful, here are more examples of positive coping skills that can help with your daily life:
- Breathing, Meditation and Yoga: this helps to relax our body and our mind
- Journaling: try a gratitude journal to focus on the positive things, or an inspirational journal where you can list your goals and accomplishments
- Positive Self-talk: turn your negative thoughts about yourself (i.e. I’m not going to pass this test) into something more positive (i.e. I studied really hard and will do well)
- Self-care: spoil yourself with a hot bath or shower, face masks, or a mini spa day
- Exercise: go for a nice walk or bike ride while getting some fresh air
- Colouring, doing word searches, or Sudoku.
- A warm mug of caffeine-free tea or hot chocolate
- Spending time with people you love and trust
These are only some examples, but the world is your imagination. If you need a day, just do what you enjoy! There is no right or wrong answer, and everyone has different ways of coping with stress.
It’s also important to remember to focus on ourselves – as parents, it is so easy to get caught in the responsibilities of parenting, work, home life etc. The above tips are ones you can support your children in using to manage their stress, but it is just as important for you to spend the time taking care of your own wellbeing too!
Here are some other resources for you to explore if you have any questions or concerns.
Calgary Connecteen
A phone text and chat peer support for your youth. They are bound by strict confidential guidelines to ensure that the conversation that youth is having will not be shared.
Phone: (403) 264-8336 (24/7 service) https://calgaryconnecteen.com/
CommunityConnectYYC
A website accumulated with a variety of services from different services providers. They bring forward affordable and barrier free counselling services via phone or video counseling sessions.
https://www.communityconnectyyc.ca/
carya
We offer a variety of supports enhance the quality of life for individuals and families and help those who are having trouble learning how to manage and overcome obstacles, or who are struggling coping with stress. We have programs for all ages and in all stages of life.
Find out more about our Family Support, Individual Wellbeing, Youth Engagement, Older Adult Support, and Financial Wellness programs.