Take Charge of Your Life

Tribune Lifestyle | by Renee Singh
My client walks in' I am extremely stressed' he announces, I've heard this phrase repeated over and over again, some say it with a smile on their faces while others look so very terribly depressed that you wonder how they will ever take a step away from this zone.
Of course most of us experience worry and anxiety about things at times, but at what stage does it get excessive is something we need to look into. All of us need to apply a self test on ourselves to check on our stress levels. We need to feel comfortable enough within ourselves with who we are. Checking our stress level will also help us understand where we stand in this area and how we can remedy our attitudes to correct our mind sets and our lives.
 I will today give you a few questions to ask yourselves and if the answers seem to disturb you I will also suggest you some remedies to handle the stress in your lives and get on the path to a stress free existence.
 Here is a list of questions you can ask yourselves
Are there some chronic physical complaints that you are suffering from and been dealing with them for years like:

• Gastrointestinal problems
• Ulcers
• Nervous  stomach
• Excessive  palpitations.

How well do you sleep?

• If something is really weighing on your mind, do you have trouble falling asleep because you are worrying about it.
• Do you wake up in the night thinking about it?
• Do you have trouble falling asleep again?

Does Anxiety Affect your Activity ?
Sometimes you want to do something but you avoid it because it may lead to a panic attack.

How do you Handle Traffic ?

• Do you try taking routes with lighter traffic and not worry too much even if you are waiting and not worry too much about it ?
• How do you deal with road rage ?
• How Do You Handle Thoughts about the Future
• Expect the best but make contingency plans.
• Live in the moment.
• How Much Do you worry about other  People’s opinions?
• Do you like doing what feels right to you. If people don't like it it’s not your problem anyways. You don't want them in your life.
• How Much Do Ungrounded Fears Affect You.
• Learning to live for the moment should be your motto. Do what you feel and just keep hoping for the best.

Fear Of Disaster.

• Do you allow fear of natural disasters to overwhelm you.  Like the threat of an epidemic, a terrorist attack or any major crisis beyond your control.
• You could be concerned and have made enough and adequate arrangements accordingly and also given the time to realise that the rest is not in your control so why worry.
• Do you Overreact to Situations
• Do you get worked up when people talk not very respectfully to you.
• Do you sulk over imaginery  situations and get worked up.

How Much Energy do you Spend on thinking about Thins beyond your Control

• Look into worst case scenarios
• Do you lose sleep over negative thoughts or situations.
• You need to assess and validate yourself. Spending time with yourself is very important instead of being constantly outwardly bound. A healthy level of anxiety is  required in everyone's life. Worry and anxiety are useful emotions in that they alert us .
• When something isn't right in our lives
• Inspire us to make positive changes

You should only allow a certain amount of anxiety in your life. Just keep yourself in the driver’s seat and remain in control. Do not allow undue stress to overtake. Sometimes when we allow stress and anxiety to overtake our lives it becomes worrisome as it is unhealthy. This condition immobilizes us and affects our health in the process emotionally and physically.
To look inside be specific and assess your problems. See whether it is real and you are not blowing it larger than life. Come up with a plan that tackles it in the best way possible.
Taking action to protect oneself is a good way to channel energy and a very good realistic response to provide re assurance against fears. Once handled life becomes more pleasurable  and fun.
Try strategies to make you feel more centered. Prayer is a good one. Meditation, journaling, listening to music, exercise and spending time with friends is a great way to combat stress.
All these simple remedies go a long way in making you a happy person.