February 22, 2011

How to Stress Less (Not More!)

If you’re ready to get rid of your gloomy mood and pessimism, this article is for you! It’s time to let go of misery and reduce your stress. Here are five ways to stress less, not more:

Don’t track your faults
Keeping a full inventory of all your faults keeps your stress level high. Don’t recall all past slip ups, sins, mistakes and failures. Stop concentrating only on your bad points! Avoid friends and relatives who remind you of your weaknesses. Instead, focus on your strengths to reduce stress.

Get as much sleep as possible
Lack of sleep is a great stress-producer. Some may think sleeping “wastes” valuable time (and drink coffee and caffeine packed beverages to stay alert). But this behavior only increases stress. Rest isn’t for wimps! By getting more sleep, you’ll reduce your stress.

View the glass as half full
A negative outlook increases stress. So, it’s time to let your sad mood and pessimism go! Positive thinking aids living a life with less stress, and leads to lower rates of depression. Positive thinking also leads to reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and better coping skills during hardships and times of crisis. View the glass “half full,” and enjoy a reduction in stress!

Communicate!
It’s important to let people know how you feel or what you need. Your friends and family members cannot read your mind and anticipate your needs. Communicating openly may seem like too much trouble, but it’s an important step to maintaining healthy relationships and reducing personal stress.

Don’t live in the past
To let go of stress, look forward, not back. Living in the past can be quite comfortable, but it can also be very stressful. Let go of all the things you should have done, but didn't. Stop reviewing your regrets regularly. Re-running the past takes your mind off today. Live in the present, and reduce stress too!

If you or someone you love needs help to reduce their stress, contact Centerstone at 888-291- HELP (4357) or visit www.centerstone.org.

If you are in crisis, call Centerstone’s 24-Hour Crisis Intervention Hotline at 800-681-7444.

For more of Susan's Wellness advice, visit our Health and Wellness page.

About Centerstone
Centerstone, a not-for-profit organization, has provided a wide range of mental health and addiction services to people of all ages for more than 50 years. Through more than 60 facilities and 170 partnership locations across Middle Tennessee, Centerstone serves more than 50,000 children, adolescents, adults and seniors each year. Centerstone is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). For more information about Centerstone, please call 888-291-4357.

Susan GillpatrickAbout Susan Gillpatrick, MEd, LPC, CTS
Susan Gillpatrick, Centerstone Crisis Management Specialist, primarily works in the field with clients in critical incident response situations, and in Centerstone’s wellness trainings and presentations.  She is also responsible for planning and implementing marketing and growth strategies for Centerstone’s Crisis Management Strategies.

Ms. Gillpatrick is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Trauma Specialist, Certified Workplace Conflict Mediator, and Mental Health Service Provider in the state of Tennessee and a National Certified Counselor.  She is also a member the American Counseling Association, the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists, the Tennessee Mental Health Counseling Association, and the Middle Tennessee Employee Assistance Professionals Association.  She is a frequent presenter at local and national conferences, and has had numerous articles published.  She received her Master of Education degree in Human Development Counseling from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.

To request Susan Gillpatrick to speak with your group or organization about complete wellness in living, contact her at (615) 460-4445 or susan.gillpatrick@centerstone.org.