Stress Less on National Stress Awareness Day

November 6 is National Stress Awareness Day, a day for national stress! No wait, that doesn’t sound right. Rather, it is a day for national recognition of stress and how it impacts our daily lives.  

Stress is something everyone deals with. It could start with the little things that begin to pile up, such as being late to work due to morning traffic, forgetting to take the trash out, having too many household chores left at the last minute, or maybe getting into an argument with a loved one where the feelings linger into all other aspects of your day. Of course, stress can also be caused by the big, more important things like the loss of a loved one, the deterioration of our physical and mental health, or the deep feeling of disconnection in important relationships or even within oneself. 

How to deal with stress starts with finding out what the cause of your stress is. With the basic principle of cause and effect, it is important to note that all stresses have an origin. Stress could be a tool to understand what aspect of your life might need more attention, support, and/or change. Even though stress can be overwhelming, you might find that a lot of the things that are causing you to stress are in your control. 

Here are some practical tips you can take to acknowledge and address stress in your daily life: 

Develop a routine. Go for a walk, do some deep breathing, get some exercise or take a long, relaxing bath. Adding any of these into your daily routine will lessen tension and create space for relaxation in your mind and body.  

Manage your time. Wake up 15 minutes earlier to not feel rushed for work, prepare for a presentation a week in advance to give yourself time to practice, or dedicate 10 minutes a day to do some light cleaning so chores don’t pile up. Staying in control of your time management can highly influence and reduce added stress in your daily life. 

Talk to someone. Spend time in prayer to create a bond with Heavenly Parent who is with you at all times, talk to a trusted elder to gain perspective on a certain area of life, or seek out a professional mentor who has the necessary tools to support you. Reaching out and connecting with others is a powerful way to realize you are not alone and there are others who can help. 

“Whatever the time or place, love is more important,” Rev. Sun Myung Moon once said. Whatever is causing stress within, the biggest priority is always to practice acceptance, love and gratitude. With busy schedules and many demands, loving oneself and others can be a great stress reliever. On this National Stress Awareness Day, make time to see what you can do to eliminate stress in your daily life.