Last week, America celebrated Thanksgiving, a holiday full of many different meanings and traditions. But one thing that remains consistent is its call for us to give thanks in a purposeful way.
This has been a hard year for many people and for many reasons, but that does not mean there is not room to find gratitude and thankfulness. And when things look bleak, sometimes that can come in the form of the small blessings that we often take for granted.
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You don’t have to know all of the psychological and physiological effects of too much stress to know that it’s not a good thing — we can all feel it in our bodies. And, now more than ever, a lot of us are feeling a LOT of stress. So, I wanted to share some simple ways to get rid of stress or manage stress before it hits the point of overwhelm.
The 5 Best Ways to Manage Stress & Prevent Overwhelm
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All healthy relationships depend on communication and mutual respect.
During this pandemic, people are likely spending more time with their partners than ever, and we all hear about the stress this can cause—especially if the relationship is not rooted in respect. You need to hold the bar high for what you expect to give and receive out of a relationship.
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Critical thinking is super important in the world we live in today. It is a skill that we must master if we want to thrive. So how can we all be more critical thinkers in our day to day lives?
Critical thinking means thinking carefully about something without letting emotions or opinions affect you. And this is a very hard thing to do! You really have to challenge yourself to look at all sides of something, instead of searching out confirmation for what you already believe. Regardless of how good you are at it now, it is something that you can improve upon, and I believe it is vital for the future of our world.
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We could all speak a little more kindly to ourselves. If you’re being hard on yourself, it’s time to write yourself a note and remind yourself to be kind. Because you deserve it.
Note to SELF:
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“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not a mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.”
—Washington Irving
Sometimes, all we need in order to release is a good cry.
We’ve been conditioned to believe that showing emotion through tears is weak and off putting to people, and some people have become so good at stuffing that down that they’ve conditioned themselves to lock that away. But crying is an important, natural response, and we need to learn to embrace that.
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“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
—William Morris
Why is clearing out the clutter in our lives so important? I’ve discussed before how organizing the body and the home helps to organize the nervous system—we feel better when we have order. While we go through transitions in the seasons, it’s important to think of making transitions in our own lives, and doing so cleaner.
Here’s an acronym that might help you:
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Unless you’ve been living in a hole, you’ve heard of the art of gratitude and how beneficial it is. I’m a pretty grateful person, but even I have sometimes found myself not buying into the idea of it. However, I’ve recently come to appreciate just how powerful this practice can be.
If you, too, have had those thoughts of how cheesy it sounds to be grateful, I hear you. Just listen to what I found when I started going along with it myself.
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