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Accept the Things You Can’t Change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You cannot prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved
one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things
as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it is easier than railing against a situation you can
not change.
v Don’t try to control the uncontrollable: Many things in life are beyond our control—particularly the
behaviour of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as
the way you choose to react to problems.

v Look for the upside: When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth.
If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.

v Share your feelings: Talk to a trusted friend. Expressing what you are going through can be very cathartic,
even if there is nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
v Learn to forgive: Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of
anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Stress Management Techniques

Faced with danger, the body kicks into gear, flooding the body with hormones that elevate your heart rate,
increase your blood pressure, boost your energy, and prepare you to deal with the problem. This automatic
response developed in our ancient ancestors is a way to protect them from predators and other threats.
These days, you are not likely to face the threat of being eaten by a predator. But you probably do confront
multiple challenges every day, such as meeting deadlines, paying bills and juggling home and office that make
your body react the same way. As a result, your body’s natural alarm system may be stuck in the ON position.
And that can have serious consequences for your health.

Even minor stress can have an impact. You might get an upset stomach before you have to give a presentation.
Just imagine what effect a major acute stress can have on your health.
When stress starts interfering with your ability to live a normal life for an extended period, it becomes risky.
The longer the stress lasts, the worse it is for both your mind and body. You might feel fatigued, unable to
concentrate, or irritable for no good reason. The chronic stress causes wear and tear on your body, too.
Reducing your stress levels cannot only make you feel better right now, but may also protect your health long-
term. If your body remains under stress for a long period of time, the response to stress begins to take a toll
on the body. One of the prime targets affected is the thymus gland placed above the heart behind the breast
bone. It plays a key role in the immune system of the body. A weakened immune system makes us vulnerable
to infection and thus people under stress often experience regular attacks of colds and flu. So, in order to keep
healthy, it is important to keep stress at bay.
Some of the commonly used stress management techniques are:

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health. Adopting a healthy lifestyle
helps in maintaining good physical health.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so start your day with healthy breakfast, and keep
your energy up with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.

Get Enough Sleep
Adequate sleep fuels your mind as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause
you to think irrationally.

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