Keeping calm when you are feeling stressed
It is common to experience moments throughout the day or week when it all just feels a bit hard and our emotions can feel overwhelming. Maybe there has been a specific challenge today at work or at home, or maybe it is that there seem to be too many things to do and not enough time. Many of us have been working long hours and in challenging environments for quite some time now, leading to us perhaps feeling less resilient over time. Whatever the trigger, when those feelings surge up to the surface, it can be useful to take a few moments to create some space and find your calm self before trying to figure out how to respond.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Viktor Frankl
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Acknowledge your feelings. Before you jump into trying to dampen them down or work out how to fix them, take a moment to name and describe what you are feeling. Create space between you and the feeling by noticing what the feelings look, feel and sound like for you. Feelings come with physical reactions. Notice what is happening in your body. Breathe and relax your different muscles to help settle those physical reactions. Ask yourself “What is this feeling telling me?”. Our feelings can be useful prompts to address an issue. Remind yourself that this is how you are feeling not who you are. Remind yourself that this feeling will pass. Focus on the things you can control. Gently let go of those you can’t. Think about who and what might help you. Who are the people who help you feel confident and capable? What has been helpful in the past? How have you tackled difficult problems in the past? Use your time and energy wisely to respond. Fuel and pace yourself. Managing strong emotions takes energy!