You can identify the most well-known signs of stress by now, thanks to the growing conversation we’re having about mental health. You notice it more in others than yourself, but when you realize you’ve been clenching your jaw, holding your breath, lost your appetite, and experience unexpected moodiness that you should probably go for a walk. That’s fantastic!
What do you do when you experience:
- Frequent headaches
- Digestive issues
- Acne breakouts
- Memory issues
- Frequent bouts of tiredness
- Disorganization
- Being overwhelmed
- Frequent illness, like colds
- Trouble sleeping
- Have difficulty making up your mind
These are also signs of stress. When you become stressed your body releases the Fight or Flight hormones that prime your body to focus on only those 2 actions. So it loses control on a whole bunch of others that it doesn’t deem necessary right now, including your bathroom habits, your healthy complexion, your ability to stop and think, to redirect all energy on saving your life.
You need to save your quality of life.
The first thing you should do is make an appointment with your doctor. Stress is real, and you will want to rule out additional factors. And remember that fun things, like wedding planning and going on vacation, 
can cause stress! Good stuff, but the same hormone release, which means it’s okay to take a kombucha break even if you’re mostly having fun.
When you know stress is what’s keeping you down, the fastest, easiest thing you can do is treat yourself. It’s so easy to say, but difficult to put into practice, especially if you’re used to being the person everyone else relies on for strength and guidance. When you take the time to treat yourself you reduce your body’s release of the Fight or Flight hormones by breathing normally, relaxing your muscles, giving your mind time to focus and problem solve, and gain perspective. Oh, and eat or hydrate! In short, you are able to calm down physically and mentally and reasonably handle whatever stress you’re facing.
Treating yourself doesn’t have to be a $1500 trip to the spa – but if you can do that, and on a regular basis, we wholly support you!
Here are near-instant ways to treat yourself when you feel stress:
- Walk around the office/house
- Make a cup of coffee or tea
- Get a glass of water
- Take 5 minutes to text or call a friend to say hello
- Listen to some music
- Read
- Meditate
- Play with your pet
Treats that take a little more effort:
- Mani/pedi either DIY or pro
- Haircut – not even colour, just a cut!
- Go thrift-store shopping
- Draw or colour
- Take an art class or workshop
- Visit a friend or family member
- Bake or cook
- Watch a show or movie
- Garden
- Go on a weekend getaway or a vacation!
Everything in moderation, and that includes your go-go-go lifestyle. We call them treats, but we’re trained to deny ourselves treats (but you should indulge because none of the treats are bad for you!) so if you need to, call it taking care of yourself. You’ve got to create balance, it won’t just find you. And once you find balance, and get into the habit of redirecting your focus and energy, you may just find yourself living your best life and making dreams reality. Yes, really!
Why not treat yourself to some henna art? Better yet, book a party for you and your friends! Call us at (519) 741 7007 for details.