Finding the Right Fit
It occurred to me that two things have a lot in common:
buying a pair of comfy jeans and finding the best stress management techniques.
Don't believe me? Read on!
It’s October, and depending on where you live, you may be starting to swap out your summer clothes for the warmer fall-to-winter variety. While we're not quite there yet here in South Florida, I have been looking for the perfect pair of jeans, a process that can be fraught with potential pitfalls and challenges. It's a personal journey and dependent on many factors. So, too, is stress management. What fits and works for one person won't necessarily work for another.
I've been thinking so much about stress management because I've been hearing from clients, colleagues, and friends alike that they're frustrated with hearing the same handful of stress management techniques offered up as if they're the only things that work for anyone and everyone. And yes, moving your body, eating healthy food, and getting good sleep are the foundations of stress management. But there is so much more!
Much like how jeans come in various styles, cuts, and sizes, stress management techniques come in diverse forms that suit different lifestyles, personalities, and needs. Finding the right jeans and the best stress management techniques requires patience, experimentation, and self-awareness.
When you shop for jeans, you probably don't grab the first pair you see and call it a day (at least I don't!). Instead, you try on different cuts—slim, bootcut, relaxed fit—because each fits and feels differently. Stress management is similar. Meditation works wonders for some people, but maybe when you try it, you find your mind wandering too much to feel any benefit. Deep breathing exercises feel forced for some, while box breathing is the perfect nervous system reset for others. Personally, I've been wanting to become a dedicated journaler for reflection and stress relief, but I have concluded that it's just not my style. See what I mean?
Sadly, I don't have any jeans-buying advice to offer here. But I do have some suggestions for finding the best stress management techniques for you as we move towards the end of the year and all the stress that can bring.
"Stress is what comes up when something
that you care about is at stake"
– Kelly McGonigal, The Upside of Stress
Identify your stress triggers. What brings up those moments where your heart speeds up and you feel more pressure? Knowing what "stresses us out" helps us strategize how best to relieve stress when it gets in our way.
Remember that not all stress is bad stress! We need stress to help us meet everyday challenges, adapt to change, connect with others, move towards goal achievement, and even boost performance under pressure.
Consider how you process stress. Do you intellectualize it? Feel it in your body? Want to take action and do something? (Hint: all three happen all the time, but we usually have a preferred process.) Understanding if you're one to move toward stress or away from it will help you discover how best to manage in the moment.
Match the technique to the situation. Maybe you need to move your body (cue T. Swift's Shake It Off) to eliminate excess energy. Listening to music – calming or energizing – can help you upshift or downshift, depending on the situation. When you need a pep talk, reach out to a trusted confidant for empathy and validation. All of these are great in-the-moment options!
Build your buffer. We all have moments where stress gets the best of us. However, the more we can build up our "stress buffer" of resilience, the better we will manage in the moment. This can mean focusing on healthy habits, facing things that need to be dealt with, and practicing self-compassion, to name a few strategies.
I'm thrilled to offer a new, improved Stress Management program for you, your teams, and your organizations! Simply reply to this email to learn more. Sending you all the best wishes for the most comfortable jeans and an effective stress management regimen to carry you through the fall!
