Welcome.
Today,
I want to talk about something everyone carries.
Even when we pretend that we don't.
And that is mental stress.
Stress isn't a sign that something is wrong with you.
It's a sign that you're human,
Living a real life with real responsibilities.
The goal isn't to remove stress completely,
Because that is impossible.
But the goal is to release it,
So it doesn't build up,
Tighten our chest,
Or run our day for us.
Here are some grounded and practical ways that I have found useful,
And may be useful for you as well.
When stress arises,
Don't ignore it.
Try to name it.
We often carry stress,
Like a heavy backpack,
Without stopping to ask,
What exactly am I carrying?
Here's a simple truth.
If you can name it,
You can manage it.
Pause for 10 seconds,
And ask yourself,
What is actually stressing me out right now?
Is it a deadline?
A conversation you're avoiding?
A financial worry?
Too many tasks at once?
Once you can identify the source,
Your brain shifts from reacting to responding.
Try to do a 60 second reset.
Stress shrinks our mental space.
Here's a quick way to widen it again.
Inhale for 4 seconds,
Hold for 2 seconds,
Exhale for 6 seconds,
And repeat all of those steps for 60 seconds.
This activates the body's relaxation response,
Something that our biology already have built in for us.
You don't need a yoga studio,
Just one quiet minute.
Break your problems into now and not now.
Most stress comes from mixing future worries with current responsibilities.
You may want to try this exercise.
On one side of a sheet of paper,
Write problems you can address today.
On the other side,
Write things you can't act on today,
No matter how much you worry.
Now handle the now list with small steps.
Give yourself permission to release the not now list.
Your brain isn't designed to solve everything at once.
Try to move your body to move your mind.
Physical tension and mental stress are partners.
They amplify each other.
You don't need a workout,
You just need some movement.
Take a 5 minute brisk walk,
Do a few shoulder rolls,
Light stretching,
Standing up every hour,
Or something similar.
Movement breaks the stress cycle and signals your brain that you are safe.
Try to use the 2 minute margin.
Many people jump from one task straight to another,
And that creates a mental pyla.
Instead of doing that,
After you finish a task or conversation,
Try to pause for 2 minutes.
Breathe,
Reset,
And try not to fill the space with scrolling or multitasking.
This gives your mind the chance to switch gears,
Instead of grinding them.
Try to talk it out before you burn out.
Stress becomes heavy when it becomes private.
Sharing doesn't mean giving a speech,
But instead it can be a short conversation with a friend,
A text that says today was a lot,
Talking to yourself out loud in the car or writing a few honest sentences in a notebook can sometimes relieve pressure.
The goal isn't for advice,
But for release.
Try to simplify what you can,
Even if it is small.
When life feels overwhelming,
We assume the solution has to be big.
But often,
Small simplifications create a big,
Big relief.
Reduce your to-do list to the top 3 items.
Clear a single drawer.
Say no to one non-essential commitment.
Cook something simple instead of perfect.
These small simplifications create mental space quickly.
Try to ask yourself one question.
Can I let go of today?
Maybe you can let go of a conversation that didn't go perfectly,
An expectation that aren't realistic today,
Or trying to make everyone happy,
Worrying about someone you can't influence this week.
You don't release stress by gripping everything tighter.
You release it by loosening your hold on what doesn't need your energy right now.
Try to build a stress-release routine.
Try to think of stress like dust.
It accumulates if you don't clear it.
A simple daily release routine that can include a 10-minute walk,
Journaling one paragraph,
Turning off screen for 30 minutes before bed,
Doing some stretching,
Listening to calming music,
Do a short breathing exercise.
It doesn't matter which one you choose.
What matters is the consistency around it.
What we need to realize is that stress will always show up.
That's part of us being alive.
But you don't have to carry it unchallenged.
You can release it in a small moment by a breath,
A walk,
A pause,
A conversation,
A choice to let one thing go.
The more you practice these simple tools,
The lighter your mind can become and the more space you'll have for clarity,
Calm,
And actual joy.
Thank you for listening today.
Sending you love and light.
Namaste.
