Have you ever thought about what is causing you stress in your life? Some common causes of stress are:
Financial problems
Relationship issues
Loss of employment
Children with social and emotional problems
Family members with addictions
Elderly parents or grandchildren living in the home
Existing health issues
Illness or loss of a loved one
Career and business concerns
Stress can cause some very common health-related problems including fatigue, insomnia, high blood pressure, cancer, stroke, heart attacks and other illnesses. Unless you take control and learn how to manage the stress, it will lead to chronic illness and sudden death.
The 6 Steps of Stress RELIEF can help you gain control of what is causing you stress and help you lead a more peaceful life.
1. RELAX – The key to learning how to relax is that you have to make the conscious effort to do it. Whether it is deep breathing exercises, meditation or Yoga, your mind has to consciously tell your body to relax. Using specific relaxation techniques can help you control anxiety and fear, feel more at ease and even help you sleep at night.
2. EXERCISE – Physical exercise is the good kind of stress that our bodies need, and has been proven to positively impact overall wellbeing. However, it is important to remember to exercise your mind, as well. This could be in the form of reading or in the form of mental exercises such as puzzles and brain teasers, or researching a favorite topic. You can use your creative imagination to write a story, poem, article or even a book.
3. LIVE, LOVE and LAUGH – Live and enjoy life. You may have a lot of stress going on in your life right now, but when you focus on the positive aspects of your life, things begin to turn around.
Love your family, friends and those close to you. Show gratitude and appreciation everyday for the little things they do.
Laugh and have fun. Watch a funny television show or rent a comedy movie. Discover ways to laugh with your family.
4. INNER PEACE – Ways that you can find inner peace are through meditation, faith and spirituality. These are more personal and include methods that really resonate with you, such as going to church or meditating at home. Whatever your religious or spirituality preference, connect with that higher being that you trust. Having faith that things will get better will help bring more peace to your life.
5. ENVIRONMENT – This is so important to your well-being. If you have clutter around the house, papers needing to be filed, dishes in the sink or laundry to be folded, this can cause stress. Your environment can cause illness as well. You may have dust, mold and mildew that you cannot see that can be creating significant health issues for you. Studies are also indicating that high electromagnetic fields from wiring in your home, computers and appliances, can cause health problems. Make an effort to evaluate your environment and take corrective measures to make it healthy for you and your family.
6. FAMILY and FRIENDS, or other support systems – People who have support systems to help them through difficult times are much more likely to experience a reduction in their stress. Family and friends can help find solutions to problems, but also act like a sounding board to vent frustrations and offer emotional and sometimes financial support when needed. Getting a coach is an excellent way of establishing a collaborative relationship to help you develop effective strategies to gain control of your stress.
Make a list of those strategies you are going to implement and put them into action. By doing so, you are inviting gratitude, balance and tranquility into your life.
Kay Fontana, “The Grandcoach,” helps baby boomers overcome the challenges of raising grandchildren. A former teacher, mother of 3 and grandmother of 7, Kay and her husband have been sharing responsibilities of raising their 6-year-old grandson living in their home in Arizona.
A certified coach with a bachelor’s in Elementary/Special Education, a master’s in Educational Administration, and post-graduate work in Educational Leadership, Kay has dedicated over 20 years to teaching, training, mentoring and coaching. Her passion and purpose is helping baby boomers overcome the challenges of raising grandchildren so grandfamilies can find meaning, understanding and success in a safe & nurturing environment.
She has authored 2 e-books: “10 Grandcoach Survival Tips for Grandparents Who Are Raising Grandchildren,” and “Put Your Goals Into POWERDRIVE: 10 Strategies for Getting What You Want Out of Life.”
Kay is qualified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and is a certified facilitator of the True Colors assessment and personal success seminar. Her company, Coaching For Quality, centers around helping grandparents who are raising grandchildren by coaching and training them in the areas of managing change and transition, reducing stress and conflict, understanding personality types and achieving goals. Go to to http://www.CoachingForQuality.com or http://www.TheGrandcoach.com for more information and to receive my free Special Reports.