Achieving our dreams requires that we make better use of our precious time, and having more energy in the process is necessary to do so. Some of the best ways to find abundant energy are having a positive outlook on life, having a well-balanced diet, getting ample rest, exercising, and taking supplements. But the number one way that people find short-term energy boosts is through energy drinks and other forms of caffeine.
Energy drink sales in 2012 were over $12.5 billion. $12.5 billion! There is too much to do in such a short period of time and people are looking for any method available to help them get through their days.
But as we look at how people boost their energy levels, we must also look at the number one energy waster: unnecessary stress. Notice that I reference ‘unnecessary stress’ and not stress in general. This is because stress itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because stress can actually push us out of our comfort zones. But too much stress in large doses is when stress becomes a bad thing.
Stress is inevitable, so we need to begin embracing it, dealing with it, learning from it, and moving on. Yes, stress will come, because it is our body’s natural response to changes in life. Anybody that tells you that stress can be totally eliminated from life is lying to you.
Whether it is speaking in front of large crowds, taking on a new job, not having the finances you need to grow your business, or making a huge mistake in your endeavors that you don’t see as being fixable in this moment, everyone experiences large doses of stress when they step out to do something meaningful. This is why stress is such an important discussion to have today. We have to learn how to move through any unnecessary stresses to make way for good stress if we want to lead with our lives and make a bigger impact.
This being said, it is a good idea to identify any unnecessary stresses in your life—the stresses you can change—and eliminate them as soon as possible. You can begin removing unnecessary stress by choosing the right priorities, because you cannot do it all. But, what do we do with all of the other “necessary” stresses we have? Here are six action steps to lessen the burden of unnecessary stress in your life and grab hold of the mindset you have always wanted:
• Find ways where more freedom can enter your life.
Freedom gives you wide-open thinking, not tunnel vision. This is where creativity begins to take place. Freedom also brings less stress. Can you take a longer break in the middle of the day? Can you free up more time in your schedule? If you’re a perfectionist, can you realize that almost any mistake can be fixed? Can you return to having more fun in your day and remember to laugh more often? Can you cut out the guilt of your past and move on to freeing up more mental space for the things that matter, both for the present and future? Can you accomplish more in your day and not have left over tasks for tomorrow?
If you can implement any of these tweaks in your own life, you will learn to handle stress better. Life is too short to live it being stressed all the time. Begin eliminating unnecessary stresses by finding freedom.
• Help others more often than you are right now.
Nothing causes more stress than being stuck in the place of only thinking about yourself. When you think of others instead of yourself, your problems don’t take center stage. This is why studies show that volunteering is the number one source of happiness.
• Have an outlet.
You are not alone. Someone else is going through the same thing you are going through or they have been there before. Share your stresses with your close friends and go through life together. You were never meant to do life by yourself.
• View stress differently.
If you have tried to kick stress before and just can’t seem to find improvement in that area, it is time to embrace stress. That is if you can change your perspective on how stress affects you. Many times the only thing that has moved me forward is stress.
• Accomplish tasks as soon as they come up.
If you’re like me, then allowing tasks to occupy your mind for long periods of time is the number one thing that stresses you out. The only fix to this is to finish tasks as soon as you can. Schedule in extra time each day to make time for tasks that might come up in your day.
• Make a point to have fun every day.
Don’t let one day pass without laughing. If we become too focused on stress and the tasks at hand, we can miss the fun offered to us each and every day. This comes easier for some people than others, but it’s important nonetheless. Know what you enjoy at work and in life, practice it daily, and see how your perspective changes.
Again, stress will come, but it is how we deal with it that counts. We can either take it out on everyone else, we can internalize it and eventually have a meltdown, or we can eliminate our unnecessary stress and learn how to best deal with the other stresses we encounter. When you use these six steps to deal with stress, you will impact more people and live a more peaceful life.
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