Daily Inspiration: S-T-R-E-S-S Acronym Pause

If you're feeling stressed,

Here's something really quick in your day that you can try.

It uses the letters of stress,

S-T-R-E-S-S,

As a kind of an acronym that you can remember and go through.

And I chose that word because oftentimes we go through our day saying,

I'm so stressed,

I'm so stressed.

So as soon as you catch yourself in a moment of stress,

You can pause.

And the S of stress,

And you can,

If you can pause right now and just even close your eyes or bring them to a soft gaze,

Maybe thinking about a moment of stress for you.

And that first S of stress is just to stand or to sit in stillness and to feel stability under your feet,

Feeling your feet resting on the ground.

And the T of stress is to just take time to breathe.

Just one or two or three conscious,

Slower breaths,

Especially slower exhalations.

The R of stress is to recognize your thoughts,

To just begin to notice whatever is happening in your mind.

What's that narrative going on?

What are those thoughts that are being tossed around in there?

Just see if you can notice them.

Often we say things to ourselves that can be quite distorted or inaccurate and catastrophic in moments of stress.

Just simply notice.

The E of stress is to embrace all of your emotions.

And what that really means is just to simply notice and name whatever you're feeling.

Frustration is here.

Irritation is here.

Anger is here.

Worry is here.

Whatever that is,

Can you just give it space?

Can you just allow it to be there?

The next S of stress is to send yourself some kindness,

Some compassion.

And maybe it's just simply,

This is a moment of difficulty.

Recognizing that,

Just acknowledging that to yourself,

Validating that this moment is difficult.

And that final S of stress is to just see what's needed,

To just ask yourself what might be helpful going forward into the next moments of your day.