I Should Write a Manual on How NOT to Handle Stress

Hi everyone (all both of you)

You can probably tell from the blog title that I am currently going through some minor stresses and I feel as though I should impart some words of wisdom on how NOT to handle stress (as I have learnt the hard way). However, just to confuse you I am in fact going to write a few pointers on how you SHOULD handle stress. Because being positive is much more effective than not. So here goes...

1. Stay calm! Getting stressed in an already stressful situation will only make matters feel worse. Try to stay as calm as possible and if you feel upset, do something that will take your mind off things - something that has meaning. Meditate, practice yoga, read a book, call your best friend, go to the movies. Anything that will help lighten your heart.
2. A great phrase that I have heard a few times is "mind the gap". No, I'm not talking about the announcement on London Underground, but mind the gap in your thoughts. Are your thoughts connected to anything real or are they simply there to make you feel worse? This was a big one for me when overcoming depression (more on that later); it was the moment when I realised I could look at depression objectively rather than as an all encompassing parasite.
3. Stay positive! This is an obvious one but it is SO important in any situation. Stay positive and things won't seem as bad as you thought. Stay positive and it will reflect in your demeanour and you are more likely to attain the outcome you require.
4. Call your best friend and get his/her advice, love and support. There's nothing more lightening than sharing something with someone who knows you best and who knows what to say to make you feel better. And don't feel guilty for offloading either - you would do the same for them.
5. Be determined. Determination is key to any situation. Imagine the outcome you wish for you be determined that it will happen for you. It will. The universe is great like that :)
6. Believe in yourself! Having self belief is probably the most important thing to bear in mind when you feel down, stressed, low. Whatever you're going through, stay true to your inner self and believe in your thoughts and feelings. Your gut is always going to tell you what is right FOR YOU so do not falter and believe!

I have decided to stop at point six because it seems like a nice number and I could probably go on for another 648 points but that would make for a really long post and you will probably fall asleep by the 211th one.

Hope you are all doing well peoples, today in London it's looking pretty grim, despite being August, it feels like November.

Before I go, I want to direct you to this link:

http://consciouslivingblog.com

This blog is written by my meditation teacher, Jillian Lavender (what a fantastic name! :)) I find it incredibly inspiring and it reminds me to think more about what I think, what I say and how I behave. Hopefully you will enjoy reading it as I do :)

Well, until my next post in approximately 7 months!!

xxx