We know life has its stressful times and it's not practical to stay all day in the bathtub! (Although hmmm that would be nice-lol!)

Here are a few tips:

1. Make stress your best friend.
I know that seems easier said than done but if we constantly run from our feelings, we're not growing from them. Feeling the feelings doesn't mean telling stories about them. It just means loving yourself and accepting your feelings.

2. Avoid negative and fearful stories and people.
Try not to get sucked into all the stories of how horrible things are now or the fear of the future. If those people and social media posts are dragging you down, keep yourself calm and quiet by taking a nice long walk in the woods or going to the park - anywhere in nature. Breathe in the fresh air and listen to the sounds of the birds and rustling of trees.

3. Learn from people who are good at handling stress.
When people around you are losing their head, who is keeping calm? What are they doing differently? What is their attitude? Are they trained and experienced? 
Read their blog posts, watch videos or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do.

4. Practice mindful breathing.
You can trick your body into relaxing by using mindful breathing. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 4, then breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of 4. Repeat until your heart rate slows down, your sweaty palms dry off and things start to feel more normal.

5. Give stressy thoughts the red light.
It's possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all by yourself. "If this happens, then that might happen, and then ....."

Try to stay with your breathing and place all your attention on the moment. Give stress thoughts the red light and stop them in their tracks. Don't outline what's going to happen in the future. Feel your feelings without telling a story about them.

6. Know your stress trigger points.
Bills, kids, in-laws, traffic, tight deadlines…. 

Knowing what causes your stress is powerful information, as you can take action to make it less stressful. Do you need to learn some new skills? Do you need extra resources? Do you need to switch to decaf?

7. Practice Self Care.
Lack of sleep, poor diet, and no exercise are stressful on your body and mind. 
Sometimes it's hard to remember to take care of yourself. Even the little things we do for ourselves help us feel loved and cared for. Burn a beautiful smelling candle, soak in a soothing bath, read a good book, put down your phone and breathe.

If you need a good candle, I like Sweet Almond for aromatherapy. Almond is calming which can help with relaxation.