The strain of the last two years is beginning to really take its toll on all of us in various ways.

 

Our already frazzled nervous systems are tired! And in dire need of some next level TLC.

 

A powerful place to start giving extra love to yourself is to look at where you might be unintentionally adding extra difficulty and strain to your already busy and full life.

 

Here are 5 powerful ways you can let go of unnecessary stress and create more peace in your everyday life:

 

 

• Slow Down – In a society that demands and celebrates speed, slowing down is harder than it sounds. But it is an important first step in alleviating unnecessary pressure and strain in your life. Sit down for a moment and take 3-5 deep belly breaths. Tune in to your body and your surroundings. Pause and get present. You’re not in a race, and there are no rewards for breaking your neck or giving yourself an anxiety attack because you feel so much pressure to perform at high speed. When you re-engage with what you were doing, choose to go slow. Pay attention to your body and your breath. Maybe even choose to find something enjoyable about what you’re doing. Slowing down is a powerful way to release the pressure valve and get more present for yourself and life.

 

• Catch up with yourself – How often do you check in with how you’re feeling? Get current with what you need? Listen to your worries and fears instead of pushing them away? Feel the pull of your dreams and desires? It’s powerful to designate a time every day, or every few days – for a few minutes or maybe an entire hour – to catch up with what is real and true for you. Self-imposed stress can often be traced back to ignoring and overriding our feelings, and/or allowing misguided or outdated expectations to force us into action that is no longer aligned for us. Catching up with yourself allows you to be brought up to date with what you need and who you are today. What is true for you now? Whatever you discover, let it guide you to making the best decisions for yourself today.

 

• Get honest – When you take the time to get honest with yourself, you will discover the truth behind your desires, your capacity, and what matters most to you. Your expectations may be far greater than what you honestly have the time and energy for. You might have a whole host of “shoulds” that are pressuring you into doing things that you have zero desire to do. You might be trying to fulfill other people’s ideas or expectations that have nothing to do with how you want to live your life, and what you want to be doing with your time. You might have big dreams and goals, but when you’re honest with yourself, now is not the time to pursue them. This doesn’t mean you’re somehow inadequate or a failure, or that you’re letting them slip away. Instead, it means you’re letting go of the constant pushing, forcing, or overstretching that was hurting you. Getting honest with yourself will free you up, create tremendous relief in your life, and provide a fresh perspective from which you can find a better feeling, more aligned, way less stressful way forward.

 

• Simplify – Our lives are far busier and more complex than they were 20 years ago. For many of us, we’ve gotten in the habit of wearing our busy-ness like a badge of honor. Often, without knowing it, you might have gotten into the habit of being busy as a way to feel important, or to unconsciously bolster your sense of self-worth. But these things that are making you feel like you’re powerful, worthy, and important can also be creating a lot of unnecessary pressure that you don’t need. To simplify is to potentize. It’s a way to focus and give the best of your precious time and energy to everything you do, without spreading yourself thin and diluting your amazing contributions. Take a look at your life – what can you let go of? Delegate? Put on a temporary back burner while something more urgent or important takes (temporary) precedence? Trying to do it all can lead to lack luster outcomes. Paring things down allows you to give your best to what matters most.

 

• Clarify your priorities – Getting clear on what matters most to you is a powerful way to organize your life. What do you care about most? What supports you and is a necessity? What brings you joy? What can you not do without? Take 5 minutes and write down your top 5 priories for this time in your life. Not what you think they should be, or what they were last year, but for today. Now. Maybe it’s sleep, or time with your kids or aging parents. Maybe it’s writing your book, or travel, or getting your house or finances or legal documents in order. Write it down. Next, look at how you are spending your time. Are you living in alignment with your priorities, or are other things crowding them out? You get to adjust how you spend your precious time and energy accordingly so that you are living your life according to the things that matter most. The rest can take a back seat. Note: this is also one of the fastest ways to move yourself in the direction of your dreams. Make your priorities the non-negotiables in your life. The rest is a side dish.

 

 

There is so much we can’t control in our lives today, so take inspired action to tend to the things you can.

 

Your life doesn’t have to feel like one electrified, frenzied, relentless diet of overwhelm and stress. Try these 5 powerful steps out for yourself.

 

Get selective and intentional with your time and energy. Devote it to creating an exceptional life that showcases the experiences that matter most and inspire you.