Stress is such a vague word. A lot of people believe they understand what it is, but there is no universal definition for “stress”. It has a uniquely individual meaning to each of us and when we combine the ever-changing definition with the varying ideas surrounding what we can DO with the stress we are experiencing, we can begin to see why the concept of stress is pretty nebulous.
I invite you to S.T.R.E.S.S. so you can be more successful, increase your happiness, and enjoy your life.
Here are 6 things you can do to use S.T.R.E.S.S. in a positive way:
SELF:
There are a few different applications of self, but the most important ones are self-love, self-acceptance, and self-embracing. When we do those things, we will have the experience of self-esteem and self-worth.
We can begin this process simply by spending time with self. Doing things like reading, yoga, meditation, taking walks, visualization, stretching, etc. Whatever we give our time to, we value. If you want to value yourself, start spending more time, more energy, and more money on and with yourself. You are your most critical asset to happiness and success.
TRANSPARENCY:
As you’re spending time with yourself, you must drop the protection, drop the lies, drop the stories, and just be. In this context, I am using transparency to mean ‘without protection, without the layers, and without the cover up’.
The first person we need to be transparent with is ourselves. If we don’t embrace who we are, we don’t have any control over the experience of who we are. Once we are transparent with ourselves, it becomes easier to be transparent with others. It is impossible for you to share your authentic, transparent self if you have not yet seen who you really are.
RE-PRESENCE:
Re-presencing love, re-presencing calm, re-presencing joy… It is about bringing something back into your presence. We do this by reminding, re-engaging, remembering, etc. We are not adding anything new; we are going back to something that already is.
We all have the answers inside of us, we simply need to go back through all the layers that we have put on. It’s about resetting and going back to who we really are.
This is a reminder to bring yourself back to the present moment. Re-presence. Be here now. Here, in this present moment, fear does not exist.
EXPRESS:
We need to express our thoughts and our emotions. If we don’t allow our thoughts and emotions to be expressed, they will stay trapped inside our bodies.
When we have a pattern of keeping everything in, our bodies become over-pressurized. The internal pressure adds to the stress and we become more likely to explode or implode. One of the ways to be more in control is to express what is in your body and mind.
STABILITY:
We crave stability because inside of stability lives control. Our brains don’t like the unknown or the feeling of being out of control.
Most people seek to control the external factors in their environment, but if we depend on external stability, we are out of control. The only thing we can control is our own internal awareness. The less internal control we have, the more external control we need.
SENSATION:
We must allow the spectrum of sensations in order to not be controlled by them. Most people are demanding to experience the good sensations while avoiding the bad. If you turn one off, you turn them all off.
The solution is to turn up the volume on all of our sensations. There’s nothing wrong with feeling our negative emotions, although we can create a negative experience by rejecting them and trapping them in our bodies. When we feel our emotions, we can release them. Allow yourself the sensations of humanity and the feelings of being human.
If you want any support along your individual journey, book a free call with one of our certified coaches. We will help you however we can. There is no cost to you or commitment required. Visit https://www.coachseansmith.com/bookmycall to schedule your complimentary session or call 805-552-4423 or send an email to Info@CoachSeanSmith.com.
