The Secret To Keeping Your Cool Under Pressure

As much as you may hate to admit this to yourself, freaking out or stressing out is something that we all do. No matter how laid back we are, stressful situations always result in us stressing out. We may not have the power to control every aspect of our lives, but when things get a little hectic we can control how we react.

Everyone handles situational-anxiety differently, so it can take a little exploration before you realize what really works for you and what best suits your lifestyle. Most people's day to day lives are full of anxieties both big and small.

You had work deadlines, relationship stress, a family to worry about, kids to pick up etc. There is always going to be something, but you don't always have to handle the stress with more stress. It took me forever to figure this out and I wish I'd known sooner.

The second thing started to feel overwhelming, my brain went on auto-pilot. All I could focus on was finishing each task and crossing it off a list. This made me miss out a lot of what was going on around me.

You should not and do not have to miss out. Like I said earlier, there are so many different ways people choose to handle their own stress so you just have to figure out which way you find the most effective. Here's a few ideas that you may find successful:

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Working Out

High-anxiety can sometimes be combated with a high-intensity work out. It may seem strange that elevating your heart rate even higher during a time like this would work, but it does.

I've found running really helpful, but exercise in general can work. This is a time where both your body and mind are engaged. This serves as a distraction and a healthy one at that.

Additionally, at the end of a workout you experience similar feelings to "calming down." Your heart rate starts to lower because you come back to a rest state, this is similar to how you feel when you're no longer stressed out. So it can help simulate a more relaxed mindset.

Meditation 

Maybe your body doesn't need a high intensity workout and you may want to consider something a bit more low-key like yoga or meditation. This is very much about your mind and your body. Both of these techniques can be great because they teach you how to compartmentalize your problems.

This helps you focus on the present and store your worries away for a later time. This allows you to focus on you, relaxing your mind and body and making it easier to deal with the stress later on.

Writing It Down

Perhaps you're more visual than physical when it comes to alleviating stress. I've found it really helpful to write down my thoughts. This can help them seem much smaller than we originally thought. You can try writing them down in a grocery list style, in order of most important to least etc. Find what works for you. 

I like to list things out in a bulleted format and then cross things off throughout the day as I complete them. The list helps make things feel much less overwhelming because there's order and structure. It also feels great to cross each task off as you go. 

Talking About It

Writing it down may not be for you either, and that's totally okay. Try talking it out with friends or family. Sometimes we honestly just need to have a moment where we vent out frustrations. There's something about having a pity party that we all secretly love. You may need a few minutes to feel bad for yourself and have someone listen to it, and then you may feel ready to get back in the game. 

A trusted friend or family member is really great in this situation because they will undoubtedly listen to you and then reassure you that everything will be fine. Sometimes we just need someone to tell us it will all be okay, even if we knew that from the beginning.

Talking out what's bothering you can surprisingly lower your stress, as well. Once you acknowledge out loud how annoyed, upset, or stressed you feel your mind and body may seem to start coping with it better.

It's all about finding what methods or ways work for you, but you will find it.