I recently read an article by Dr. Elizabeth Scott called How to Let Go Negativity and Stress, which motivated me to self-evaluate how I manage stress. Dr. Scott mentioned that to manage stress effectively, we must adopt a mix of habits and thought patterns that minimize negativity and increase our ability to cope with the stress we face consistently. These specific habits include:
Engaging in some form of meditation (i.e., mindfulness or Raja Yoga, discussed previously)
Exercising regularly (i.e., consult with your physician, of course, but working out makes you feel good about yourself and your overall day)
Focusing on the positive (e.g., avoid negative self-talk and celebrate small victories)
Surround yourself with positive and supportive people (i.e., people who are happy and doing well in life will often influence you to be happy and succeed in life)
I was drawn to this article because these habits and thought patterns I formed over the years have worked well for me, so I wanted to share them with my readers. Although it is not the only way to relieve stress, I work on reducing stressors whenever possible. As Dr. Scott noted, many of us are unaware of how we self-sabotage and fail to let go of our self-defeating habits. If you are a person who has challenges with letting go of negativity, here are a few of Dr. Scott's suggestions:
Let Go of Grudges (i.e., most people think of themselves as forgiving, but if you are consistently thinking about the wrong that was done to you, chances are you still got some healing to do)
Get Rid of Clutter (i.e., Clutter in the home drains energy and creates stress. After a long day, coming home to a place you truly feel relaxed has a calming effect)
Drop Negative Attitudes about Yourself or Others (i.e., do you engage in minimizing your success, thinking you can’t do something, or hating on others for their success. Learn to recognize negative thinking patterns and change them)
Cut out Toleration (i.e., Stop living with things that drain you and create stress which can be people, places, and things)
Abandon Toxic Relationships (i.e., learn when and how to let go of unhealthy relationships, they are not suitable for you!)
I hope Dr. Scott's tips on forming habits that reduce stress and negativity were helpful. I found out to be more of a refresher course, but please jump in the comments and let me know what you think. How are you dealing with stress and negativity in your life? Did you have measures in place that allow you to reduce stress daily?
Scott, E. (2021). How to let go of negativity and stress. Verywell Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-let-go-of-negativity-and-stress-3145006
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