Become stress-hardy by focusing on these 5 areas

So – first of all – what is stress “hardiness”? Here is a quote that explains this concept better than anything else I have read so far:

“…the Law of Stress-Hardiness…states that stress is not only to be expected but preferred…we can and should develop a positive, workable approach to stress management…Think of it. The perfect no-stress environment is the grave…When we change our perception we gain control. The stress becomes a challenge, not a threat. When we commit to action, to actually doing something rather than feeling trapped by events, the stress in our life becomes manageable.” — G. Anderson

The following areas are typically most significantly affected by stress. They are easy to focus on because they are part of our daily lives.

Become stress hardy in the following 5 areas

Breathing
Moving/Exercising
Communicating/Relationships
Eating
Resting (Sleep and Meditation)

Pick one or two areas that are most affected by your stress. Changing them will make the biggest impact. Practice a present-moment focus in these areas, give these areas the special attention they need. There are some good, simple, and quick exercises available online. For example, here is a brief YouTube video that provides instructions on abdominal breathing.

Choose one or two exercises for your selected areas. Commit to exercises based on how easily you can integrate them into your life.

Remember, changing or integrating a habit takes at least 21 days. Don’t be overly ambitious by trying to integrate too many things into your life at the same time. That might just cause additional stress and guilt when you can’t deliver. Applying the 3 C’s to the selected areas will help you to stay focused, set realistic goals, and enjoy your progress.

Book Recommendations

If you would like to read up on the 5 before-mentioned areas and some additional topics, check out the following books. I found them useful because they provide great background information, scientific explanations, examples, and most importantly – simple and hands-on exercises that can easily be integrated even into the busiest schedules. Let me know how you enjoy them!