4 Ways to Strive under Stress

Life as we know it has given a whole new meaning to stress. Maybe you feel exhausted emotionally or physically. Maybe you’re feeling zoomed out, spent, or just burnt out. It can feel a bit scary and full-on when there’s this sense of overwhelming stress.

I want to share about how we can not only survive under stress but also thrive: move from a mode of survival to one of personal revival and thriving.

1. Simplify Your Life

When you’re under stress, take time to simplify your life. I’m not saying don’t accessorize; rather, don’t fill it with things you don’t need.

Travel light. You shouldn’t have to deal with lots of baggage and complications. Take time to refocus and reprioritise your life and not to carry that which can be distracting or is burdensome.

Just the other week, a friend cleared out from her cupboard — two bags of old things she didn’t think she needed anymore. It was clearly stuff that no longer sparked happiness for her. She said it was time to get rid of them and I think that was great advice.

So maybe you can simplify your belongings in your life or you can also simplify some of the things that you’re juggling in your life.

Juggle less and drop less

Once, an amazing juggler was performing. The climax to his act was right at the end. He said to the audience, “I’m now going to juggle a bowling ball, a raw egg, and this chainsaw.”

The juggler started the chainsaw. Then he held the bowling ball, he put the raw egg in his mouth, and then he spat the egg out. Then he threw up the bowling ball and the chainsaw and started to juggle all three items together.

Maybe there are some things in your life you just have to juggle, you can’t put them down, and they’re a bit scary like the chainsaw. Maybe there are big things like a bowling ball or things that are precious and fragile like that egg.

With juggling, the more things you try to juggle, the harder it gets — regardless of what you’re juggling.

Perhaps there are some things in your life you could just place down for a moment and say, “You know what, I’m just not going to juggle at the moment. I’m going to simplify, juggle less, and drop less.”

The golden rule is this: If you juggle less, you drop less.

2. Seek a Person of Peace

A person of peace is someone who either consciously or subconsciously recognizes the peace in people’s lives. The person is inclined to help and bless others.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

Put in your path such a person who can help you: a friendly neighbor, a work colleague, a friend, or maybe even somebody that you do business with. Be expectant for a person of peace.

It’s important not to travel through life alone when under stress. Have at least just one person (of peace) who is someone that you can speak to honestly about your stress.

When you’re under stress, the person is there to guide and destress you. It’s about the person offering you an emotionally-balanced and collected advice.

3. Self-Care

During stressful times, it is important to practice self-care. If you’re exhausted, this can be actually tricky.

I’ve noticed that those who are close to burnout, often turn to self-medication rather than turning to self-care. But self-care is essential to go through any long stressful phase in life.

To illustrate, during winter — in gardens — many plants drop their leaves. They stop growing and generally look not that great. Sometimes, they even look dead. But when spring arrives, they bloom — full of life and stronger than ever.

You see, your visible health is a bit like the plants in the spring. Your invisible health is like the plants in the winter. During those long winter months, the plants are forced to push their roots deeper underground to access minerals. Life makes them stronger for when the weather warms up.

When under stress, embrace some form of discipline even though you don’t feel up to it. For example, journal, say a prayer and make a list of what you need to get done or the challenges you’re facing — the big things to deal with for the day.

There’s always stuff on the list that you don’t know what to do and you don’t have the solutions. Do what you can do and know that somehow life will do the rest with and for you. Inspiration will find its way to you and open doors to lead you on paths to the solutions.

4. Speak Hope Honestly

When under stress, there’s a tendency to look in despair inwardly. Speak hope to yourselves. Positive words create positive character changes and environments.

Words are powerful — they can make or break you.

Speak honestly about your troubles. You’re not in conflict with yourself but actually, it is a way to do an authentic self-relationship that is healthy. Your self-honesty about the present does not lessen your future hope, rather it provides you the strength to get through the stress and life.

In summary, to strive under stress, it’s important to simplify your life, seek out a person of peace, practice self-care, and honestly speak hope into your life.