If you have ever lost sleep, had a tangled mass of thoughts in your head or been extremely emotional or angry about things then read on.

I became physically ill from suffering stress and decided to learn how to deal with it better. There are many techniques to help you cope with stress and anxiety. However, in my view, the best way to manage stress is to change your mindset. What do I mean by this? Well, stress and anxiety occur when you react to something that someone says or to a situation that you are in. Once you become aware of this you can start noticing the thoughts, emotions and actions that you take. Usually, we aren’t aware we have a pattern that we follow.

You can train yourself to pause and change your thoughts to feel less stressed or anxious. In other words, you reframe your reactions to events.  It sounds simple doesn’t it? Of course, it takes practice, but I guarantee you will be so much happier if you can flip your automatic reactions and consciously choose a different path.  Here’s a formula to help you do this:

  1. Notice. Take a moment to become aware that you are stressed or anxious or about to react automatically.
  2. Pause. Stop and give yourself time to think about what is happening.
  3. Choose. Make a conscious choice about whether you want your automatic reaction to happen or if you would like to consider another path.

I’ve used this technique many times. For example, I used to get very upset when I received any negative feedback. I’ve always strived to be extremely good at whatever I do. Now, instead of berating myself and focussing on a mistake or a fault, I consider what learning I can take to help me grow and improve.

Taking small steps to change how we deal with things people say or events that happen will start to change your life. I can honestly say that the work I’ve done has completely transformed how I deal with many situations.  People often comment on how they see the change in me. I’m not perfect of course, but I am passionate about sharing what I’ve learned so that others can live a less stressed life.

This is just one of the things I teach in my stress management training. I love sharing tools that help you cope better with what life throws at you. If you need more tailored support through difficult times, my private coaching provides a safe space for you to untangle problems and move forward with confidence.

There’s a host of great evidence-based tools to help you manage stress but reframing your reactions is top of my list.  I’ll highlight some other tools in another blog.

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Thanks for reading.

Brenda