​On Mental Health and Stress Management

.There are a bunch of all stress-related issues and until we release that stress, the symptoms aren’t going to go away. Now, we know that it’s impossible to eliminate stress altogether. You can reduce it, but you can’t avoid it completely. Stress is just a natural part of life.
However, you can protect yourself against the damage it causes. You can clear away the blocks and aim to restore your balance. Below are the strategies I use to balance myself on a daily basis:
1.    Smile. Just raising the corners of your mouth works, but a full smile with extended eyes works even better. This will make you feel better, as well as making others around feel better too (ever noticed how you feel when someone smiles at you?).
2.    Take long, deep breaths. Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs. Hold your breath to the count of "three." Exhale slowly, while saying the word "relax" silently, and relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach.
3.    Note the positives. Positive thinking and positive statements go a long way. Write down positive affirmations and when you are feeling off-balance revert to them.
4.    Meet and connect with family and friends. Family and friends are your supportive system, Use and abuse of them! It’s a win-win situation.
5.    Recognize what you cannot change. Let’s face it: we cannot control everything. It’s simply and purely impossible. Once we recognize this, life becomes manageable.
6.    Visualize. Picture the change you would like to see; you can also write it down or say it aloud using a positive affirmation.
7.    Walk outside. Get a good dose of sunlight (this works even on a cloudy day) and open up your senses to the world around you. Connect with nature.
8.    Be or become assertive. Many people wrongly believe that being assertive is rude. It can be, depending on the delivery. However, learning to say ‘no’ can be a transformative thing. It will stop you overloading yourself with work and committing to tasks you don’t have the time to do.
9.    Aromatherapy. Light a scented candle or burn your favourite scented incense stick. Or use scented incense sticks (make sure you do this one in a well-ventilated area. Avoid inhaling the smoke). Whatever floats your boat! It’s proven that certain fragrances do help us relax and feel better.
10. Sleep. A good night of sleep will restore your balance. Do try and create a sleep routine.