Learning how to cope with stress is a lesson that everyone will benefit from.
From the workplace to our personal relationships, stress can feel overwhelming, and when we’re on our own weight loss journeys, stress can be a catalyst for breaking our healthy habits.
That’s why we should aim to become resilient to stress as best we can.
To build a strong resilience to high stress levels, we need to consciously adapt the way we recognise, interact with and react to the things that cause us to feel stressed.
Once we’ve built that resilience, we can practice these methods to keep us cool, calm and collected, meaning we’re more motivated, focused, and happier all round.
The stress bucket
Stress isn’t something you can identify visually. It’s an invisible wave that can be tricky to pinpoint.
So, we’re going to be using the visual of a “stress bucket.” If we can see our stress levels, we can put our healthy coping strategies in place in time.
Picture yourself holding a bucket.
Now, throw anything that causes you to feel stressed into that bucket.
The heavier your bucket is, the longer the stress response. If full to the brim, you may experience chronic stress.
Of course, the size of your bucket alters depending on the individual. We aren’t carbon copies of one another and the amount of stress each of us can physically handle differs from person to person. Genetics, personality and your past experiences will all determine the “size of your bucket” (or the amount of stress you can handle before chronic stress sets in.)
There are a number of ways to reduce the amount of stress we’re experiencing, but this article talks about how to increase your stress bucket’s depth, and it’s all through building resilience.
Building resilience to stress
Being resilient to stress means we’re able to withstand more stress without breaking down. It allows us to recognise our stress levels and work towards lowering them before they become overwhelming.
Together, let’s explore methods that help us to build a resilience toward stress.
Calming methods
When you feel stressed, it’s important to take some time away from stressors to help us gain clarity and allow us to deal with them.
Space is critical, so allow yourself both the physical and emotional space from your stressors by actively doing something that you enjoy or find relaxing. What you choose to do depends on your own preferences, but here are some calming activities you could consider:
- Take a bath
- Read
- Play and isten to music
- Practicing your skincare routine
- Get moving and dance around your room (loud music is highly recommended!)
- Head to the gym
- Go swimming
- Engage in a creative activity (arts and crafts, sewing, writing, drawing etc.)
- Going outside for five minutes
- Going for a walk
- Practicing yoga
- Write in your journal (mindful journalling is a fantastic calming activity.)
Growing your support network
We, as human beings, need people to lean on.
Having social support networks in place helps us to become more resilient to stress.
These social support networks can be strengthened by making an effort with those closest to us. Life can be busy, but our friends and family are often more available than we’d think, so make sure you’re spending time with them even when life feels a little manic.
Expanding your social support network can feel challenging as an adult, but there are a number of ways to meet new people and foster relationships we already have. Try some of the following:
- Get involved with volunteer groups and activities
- Help with sports clubs
- Attend your work socials
- Make the choice to eat lunch with your colleagues
- Join a group based on a hobby of yours (drama groups, choirs, sports groups, etc.)
Finally, you are always free to seek professional support from therapists, psychologists, councillors and doctors who will help you handle your emotions in a constructive way and work through more complex issues.
Practising gratitude
Gratitude is an extremely useful tool when working toward building resilience to stress.
We can practice gratitude through journaling, for example, which has been shown to have positive results for high stress levels.
We all experience the highs, lows and mediums of life. That said, as human beings, we tend to focus on the bad rather than the good.
By practicing gratitude through journaling, we’re encouraging ourselves to look at the world differently: to be consciously grateful for the things that did go well rather than feel bitter for the things that didn’t quite go to plan.
When we see a consistent list of all the good things throughout our days, we subconsciously start to embrace daily life this way, too, and while we still feel stress, we’re more resilient toward it.
Take action ⚡
A positive mindset is key for building a strong resilience to stress.
So, with that in mind, try to express gratitude into your day this week.
However you choose to do that is completely up to you, but you’ll notice a difference when you pinpoint the things that brought you some level of joy.
If you’re struggling, try taking two minutes – whether that’s before you go to bed or on your commute back from work – and jot down three positive things that happened to you during the day.
If you’re stuck and feel like nothing good happened, think about what you’re grateful for in that present moment.
Being able to focus on the positives rather than the negatives can enhance and improve our self-esteem, general wellbeing and, of course, our resilience to stress.
It’s important to note that building a resilience to stress isn’t something that happens overnight and nor is it a linear process. It’s a choice we have to make and we have to do the work that allows us the outcome.
As time goes by, though, you’ll notice that your ability to handle stress – even though your stress bucket may feel a little heavier – expands. In other words: you become more resilient to stress.
