How To Cope With Stress And Anxiety And Find The Motivation To Follow Your Dream.

According to the American Institute of Stress, about 33% of people experience stress. It even goes further to say over 77% will experience that stress that will affect their physical health, mental health and even have trouble sleeping.

Sadly, the stress levels are getting worse rather than better. With the ongoing pandemic, these figures will keep rising as more and more people are now struggling with the dwindling economy.

What are some of the major causes of stress?

Stress can be triggered by anything. But some of the major triggers for stress, according to the American Psychological Association, include:

Money

Job stability

Work-related

Economy

Family issues

Relationship issues

Individual Health Issues

Rent, Mortgage/loans

Family health issues

Security

But how should you cope with stress and anxiety?

It is important to develop your mechanisms for dealing with stress. How people deal with stress and anxiety is unique for every person. But it all starts with identifying the triggers. This is like identifying the problem.

If you know what triggers your stress or anxiety, you will be able to manage and control even before it starts messing up with your day to day activities.

Stress and anxiety can derail you from attaining your set goals. Therefore, you must find ways of handling them. It is only a matter of “when” they will hit, not “if” they will hit. Because in a lifetime, you must experience some stress or anxiety of some sort.

Here is how you can cope with stress and anxiety and stay focused on your dreams, and set goals:

Get a mentor

Find a mentor who can help walk you through the difficult times. It is almost impossible to see how good you are or what good you can do when stressed. This is where your mentor comes in to help you see the big picture. A mentor will ensure that you are responsible for your actions, and s/he will guide you so that you don’t make the mistake he or she made.

A mentor will question your moves and help you see things from a different viewpoint. S/he will be your guide to your dreams amidst the chaos caused by stress and anxiety.

Get some time off

We are sometimes caught up chasing our dreams that we end up burning the midnight oil and taking up so much. It is important to take some time off and have health breaks between tasks. Get some good night’s sleep.

Sleeping for less than 6 hours will only lead to tension and unproductivity. You must take time to rejuvenate yourself with a good sleeping routine that helps you to succeed in  achieving your objectives.

Confide to someone you trust or an expert

A problem shared is half solved. If you have a close family, friends, an expert, or just a close confidant, share your problems with them. Sometimes when stressed, you just need someone who will listen to your issues.

You can get weight off your shoulder when discussing your feelings with others, and the other person can even advise you practically from a different perspective.

No situation is permanent

One way to eliminate anxiety is to reevaluate your life and look at all other different perspectives. Sometimes the solution just lies within us and is waiting for you to unleash. Maybe it is family problems or sickness. Or you have just given up on life. These circumstances may cause you to be anxious, worried, and super stressed.

But you need to know nothing is permanent. Take action about what you can handle at the moment, do as much as you can to change things—baby steps, one step at a time, until you handle the bigger issue.

There are many ways of handling stress and issues that affect us in life, but it all depends on your willingness to try and ability to act on them as soon as they emerge. Don’t let temporary situations derail you from your goals or stop you from following your dream.