Build Your Stress Tolerance

Do you struggle to maintain your equilibrium through the ups and downs of life?  Does your creativity dramatically drop when the pressures of life push in on you? Do you need to discover ways to build your stress tolerance so that you feel productive and confident even in stressful times?

You know how you stand in the grocery store aisle contemplating your many decisions?  Milk, almond milk, or cashew milk? Tartar control, whitening or healthy gums toothpaste?  It’s enough to make you dizzy.

Well, it only gets worse when a farmer goes seed shopping.  There are thousands of varieties of corn seed.  Farmers have to be smart shoppers!

One common characteristic farmers all look for in corn seed is seed tolerance!

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The right seed will give a consistent yield (more corn:) no matter the conditions.  In times of drought, too much rain, hot weather, cool weather or too little rain the stress tolerant seed will produce!

By building your stress tolerance you are taking charge of our own emotional health.  This is sooo important.  I have worked with many people who have never taken the first step toward learning how to self cope.  They are totally dependent on their circumstances or the emotional state of their family and friends for their own happiness.

As you build your stress tolerance, you will feel more in charge of creating your own well-being.

What are some simple ways to improve and build your stress tolerance?

Know Your Energy Level!

What is your perfect work zone?  Do you perform best with a stacked schedule?  Or do you need to build breaks and downtime into your week? Be realistic about how you operate .  Don’t set yourself up to fail!  As you plan your day and week, take your current health and energy level into consideration.

Some people have a high outward energy.  Others have a low outward energy but deep inner workings.  You are going to be more stress tolerant if you have your life set up in tune with your energy level.

I have discovered that I enjoy and thrive on a basic schedule but too much routine drains me.  So I try to build something “fun” into my week (coffee with a friend, going to the library, cooking a new dessert or a date with my hubby).  I also have found that I NEED downtime.  I love a quieter morning or Sunday afternoon to recharge.

Adjust for New Seasons in Life!

In order to have a good “life yield” adjust your schedule as you enter new seasons in life.  What you could handle before you had kids is totally different from after you kids.  It’s the same way as your children grow older.  We need to adjust as our children enter new stages in life.

Sometimes we get this idea that our tween/teen needs us less because they can take care of their daily needs more.  However, teens are looking for confirmation on all the decisions they are making.  Teens need an available parent to discuss and  vent to otherwise they often seek out only a friend’s advice. This can raise the stress in the household when teens detach too soon from the caring adults in their life and only seek out their friends.

Make time to be there for the things and people who are important to you.  Reevaluate each season so you accomplish what truly matters most to you.

Give Yourself Permission to Say “No”!

This used to be so much easier for me.  It can be hard to say “no”, but it is important to allow yourself to do this.  In order to build our stress tolerance, we need to be intentional about our time.  There is a time and place for just buckling under and getting a job done.  However, if you are constantly taking on more and more projects that don’t fit you, you will feel overwhelmed.

Review your jobs, projects, chores and volunteer duties.  Can you complete them and say “no” in the future?  Could you trade-off something that drains you for a job that you love?  You are uniquely gifted to perform certain jobs with more ease and finesse.  So there is no reason to have your life filled with only duties that drain you!

Know What Recharges You!

Do you know what brings you energy and revives you?  We all need to understand what enables us to decompress and relax.

Now, there is a difference between just vegging and recharging.  Watching Netflix is a fun way to veg out, but it doesn’t necessarily bring you fresh energy and inspiration.

Build into your life activities that recharge you.  You have a lot on your plate.  But in between working outside and inside the home, taking care of kids or grand kids, laundry and meal prep be intentional with that little bit of time you have for YOU!

Gone are the days when I could read a whole book in one day (sigh), but rarely does a day go by when I don’t read at least 10-15 minutes.  Baking is also another love for me.  My friend gave me Julianne Bayer‘s new book No-Bake Treats: Incredible Unbaked Chessecakes, IceBox Cakes, Pies and More and I have been enjoying creating some of her scrumptious recipes.

So what are those passions that you have that need to be given opportunity to restore you?  Writing, exercise, learning a new skill, sewing, crafting, a fun night out with friends, hunting, hiking…whatever it is, make time to make it part of your week. Need some more ideas…read about great soothing gifts here

Adjust Your Expectations Weekly!

This one is for me!  So right now I have 9 puppies in my house!! And they decided about 4 days ago that they needed to be way more active and alert.  Oh my!  The noise level is intense and they are no longer sleeping longs hours.  This greatly changed my week.  What I had intended to accomplish was over run by 9 furry active pups wanting my attention – NOW!

I felt upset to see “my time” slip away.  Instead of blogging, I was cleaning up and feeding 9 puppies.  By the 3rd day (I’m a little stubborn and didn’t want to give in too easily:) I realized I needed to change my expectations for the week.

And I have been blessed to spend time with cute as can be pups AND with my daughter yesterday sitting in the sunshine, pup sitting and doing our nails! Best ever!

So what need to adjust this week?  You may have to cross off a few to-do things off your list in order to catch a hold of the opportunities that this week holds for you.

Have a great “yield” this year as you build your stress tolerance.

As we know our energy level, adjust for the seasons in our life, give our self permission to say “no”, recognize what recharges us and adjust our weekly expectations we will feel more intentional and happier about our life.  And we will feel better prepared to handle the stress of life!