The 5 ways I keep stress and overwhelm at bay
ChampagneYogiStress came knocking on my door in my mid twenties. It took becoming an adult, having 2 children and learning how to juggle life as a single momma for me to figure out the definition of stress and overwhelm.
My middle daughter was born with an life threatening seizure disorder called Dravet Syndrome. More than once I witnessed the life leave her eyes, but thankfully brought back with medical intervention.
Deep breath in, and deep breath out.
My wake up call was after Stella spent just shy of a month in a coma. I suffered from a full blown nervous breakdown and severe panic attacks for years… Needless to say I hit rock bottom emotionally and physically. Stella’s neurologist told me I needed to start taking care of myself so I could take care of her.
In the last couple years I had to work really hard to implement new healthy habits to live in a stress-free, calm and blissful space. I had to learn to master my inner negative nellie, and not sink back into a world of fear and despair.
I learned stress for the most part can be avoided with a little self awareness.
We must lean in, get real and ask…
“What is causing me to feel stressed right now?”
Stress causes the release of adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol in the body. The response is a natural “fight or flight” mode, allowing your body to cope with whatever triggered it. Necessary in life and death situations – your building is burning down, or you are being chased by a grizzly bear. But, not an ideal state to be in long term.
These stress hormones are essential to the bodies natural response to danger, intense physical exercise and emotional trauma but it’s imperative the body’s relaxation response be allowed to switch on so that it can return to homeostasis following any stressful encounter.
With society demands, and a work harder lifestyle, more and more people are battling acute stress, which is manifesting into disease. When your body doesn’t get the recovery it needs, high levels of stress hormones, particularly cortisol increase and when present for an extended period of time have been proven to cause Autoimmune disease, digestive disorders, insomnia, migraines, hormone imbalance, adrenal fatigue plus a whole host of other ailments.
This was me 15 years ago. I was a ticking time bomb, but I didn’t know it until just a few years ago. After Serena was born (8 years ago), I felt the healthiest I’d been in a long time. I was slim, energetic, slept great, ate a plant based diet, exercised and had deep soulful friendships plus an incredible fiancé who I got to cuddle up to every night.
So what went wrong?
After years of acute stress and never dealing with it properly, my digestive health took a turn for the worse. I was constantly bloated, had severe brain fog, was lethargic – didn’t want to workout, and I stopped returning my friends phone calls. And to top it off, Stella’s health took a nosedive. My vibrant, joyful child whose strength to survive was greater than anything I’d ever known stopped talking, her seizures ramped up and her ability to function varied from one day to the next. My sleep suffered greatly as most of her seizures were and still are at night, and my diet became one of convenience. I started to feel the same acute stress I had experienced 15 years ago but this time I had the tools to keep my mind, body and spirit safe and my stress levels down.
These are my my daily stress busting activities I practice to stop stress and overwhelm from taking over:
1. Meditation
Meditation is the best way I’ve found to calm my overactive, worrisome brain. It took me years of studying with Deepak Chopra, Gabby Bernstein and Elena Brower plus countless other meditation teachers from all over the world to figure out my favourite techniques and what worked best for me.
What I love most is that it’s free! You can practice from anywhere at any time – hello long distance airplane rides. All you need is somewhere comfortable to sit, or lay down. Yes, I said you can lay down. I believe there are no rules to follow to practice meditation, what works best for you in the moment is exactly right.
Find a quiet area and If seated, you want to be comfortable, with a straight spine, slight tucked chin, and to relax your shoulders. Turn off any disruptions and close your eyes. Bring your attention to your breath, breathing slowly in and out from your nose. It’s perfectly natural to have thoughts flitting to and from your mind, when that happens, simply acknowledge them, then bring your focus back to your breath.
I aim for 20 minutes, but sometimes all I can squeeze in is 10, remember there is no right or wrong way to meditate. My day begins and ends with meditation. Often, when I’m feeling a mid afternoon crash, I close my eyes for a little pick me up meditation, when I open my eyes, I’m refreshed and have a renewed burst of energy and quite often inspiration.
Meditation is the best way I’ve found to calm my overactive, worrisome brain.
2. Yoga
Yoga is so much more than a workout or meditation. It is all encompassing – balancing mind, body and spirit. 22 years ago I started with vinyasa and trained in Bikram Yoga. Now, I find myself enjoying a power vinyasa flow and restorative yin class equally. Each morning I start with a few sun salutations to stretch and loosen up any stiffness I might feel. There are so many yoga styles and classes to explore and while you might think of it as a way to “stretch”, you’ll be surprise how physical and restorative it can be. One of my favourite online Yoga resources is Alo Moves, they offer thousands of classes and a free 14 day free trial. What are you waiting for?
3. Get back to nature
Hands down my absolute favourite activity. There is incredible healing energy to be found when you allow yourself to join nature. Walk barefoot on the beach – if it’s cold, bundle up with a cozy blanket. Swim naked in the ocean – why not! Touch a tree in the forest and embody its’ strength. Dance in a rainstorm – such an exhilarating way to release any unnecessary emotions. Stroll through a park – no need to rush, be an observer of the world around you.
You can turn on your favourite movement meditation tunes, or allow the sounds of nature to guide youm. Try laying down in the grass, or on the sand and watch the clouds float by.
4. Soulful conversations
When you are feeling stressed, pick up the phone and call a loved one who will make you laugh or offer a non judgemental ear. I often call my mum in the UK and after a catch up I always feel lighter. It doesn’t matter who you call, you need a soul sista, or soulmate you can talk to freely without judgement. Do you have your soul tribe?
5. Gratitude practice
Fill in the blank, “I am grateful for…”
This is how I start each day, and it’s the little things I see today, which, when I look back are often big things. I am grateful for a good night’s sleep. I am grateful for sunshine today. I am grateful for my sister calling me at the exact time I needed someone to talk to. I am grateful for my girls. I am grateful for my warm bed. I am grateful for the stranger who smiled at me and made my day.
This simple practice helps cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Where you can focus on the positive, what you are most thankful for, as well as the simplicity of life. You start your day off positive. Honestly, this is the best habit I’ve adopted (huge shout out to my sister Aaliyah who introduced me to it) and it’s a practice I share with my family. Even my 8 year old has a gratitude journal she uses to express what she is most grateful for.
Nothing is worth sacrificing you health over. No job, bill and certainly no person is worth stressing over. If something or someone doesn’t bring you joy, release them. When you are stressed, the people around you become stressed. The same applies to you, look at who you spend the most time with. Does your tribe uplift, inspire and encourage you to be the best version of yourself?
My challenge for you is to pick one of these 5 simple tools. Put it into practice starting today. Carve out time and pop it on your calendar.
Let me know which one your choose and share it with a friend too! I’d love you to pin it on Pinterest or share it on Facebook. Post on Instagram. (tag me @achampagneyogi, #achampagneyogi), I’d love to see which one you chose!
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XO