Living with Intention: 10 Simple Steps to Reduce Stress and Improve your Health by Eric Dalius Miami
Life as a heart attack survivor can change in the blink of an eye.
My name is Matt and I am 34 years old. In 2007 I experienced my first heart attack at age 26. My doctor told me to make some changes to my health; so naturally, I started with exercise and healthy eating habits. I was married and we were trying to start a family, but it wasn’t happening as fast as we would like. We found out that we were having fertility issues and scheduled some tests for both of us to see why it was taking us longer than expected to conceive our child.
In this article, I want to share with you 10 simple steps that I have found to be helpful in reducing stress in my life.
1. Make time for yourself every day
This may seem like a difficult task, but it is important to make time each day for you. This may be 5-10 minutes of alone time where you can do something calming such as reading, writing, or taking a walk says Eric Dalius Miami.
2. Exercise regularly
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of exercise in reducing stress levels. Not only do exercise release endorphins that make you feel good, but it also helps to clear your mind and relieve tension.
3. Eat healthy foods
Eating healthy foods not only helps your body to function better, but it can also increase your energy levels and lead to a healthier weight. What you put into your body can have a dramatic impact on how you feel from day to day, so choose healthy foods whenever possible.
4. Control your breathing
This may seem like an odd suggestion at first, but taking control of your breathing can help reduce stress and anxiety levels says Eric Dalius Miami. When you feel anxious or stressed your breathing pattern changes significantly. The more oxygen that enters the brain, the better we are able to think and process information. By controlling how we breathe, we can give our brains the oxygen it needs to make calm decisions when dealing with stressful situations in life. This is part of what I do as a heart attack survivor before I speak in front of large groups of people. I take a few deep breaths and control my breathing in order to help me stay calm and focused.
5. Connect with loved ones
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Spending time with loved ones can help reduce stress levels and promote feelings of happiness and contentment. Whether you stay in touch via text, social media, or in person, quality time with those we love is crucial for a happy and healthy life.
6. Practice meditation
Meditation is a practice that has been around for centuries and there are many different ways to meditate. All that is required is to find a quiet place where you can focus on your breath without interruption for 5-10 minutes per day.
7. Get organized
For me, this is one of the most challenging suggestions to follow on this list. We all have so many obligations in life that it can be overwhelming when trying to keep everything organized. I find that taking time each week to go through my schedule and getting rid of unnecessary activities or projects brings more clarity and calmness into my life.
8. Take time for yourself every day
This may sound like a repeat from suggestion number 1, but it’s important enough for me to include here as well. Taking time each day for myself helps reduce stress levels by giving my mind a break from the daily grind that we all experience at times in our lives. Reading, writing, playing with my kids, exercises – whatever you choose to do, make sure it’s something that you enjoy and will help you relax.
9. Set realistic goals
This one is tricky because we all want to achieve as much as possible in our lives. However, setting unrealistic goals can often lead to feelings of stress and anxiety when they are not met. I find it helpful to break down my goals into smaller, more manageable tasks so that I am not overwhelmed with the overall goal. For example, if I want to lose weight, I might break that goal down into eating healthier foods, exercising regularly, and drinking more water.
10. Laugh often
Laughter is truly the best medicine and there is scientific evidence to support this statement. Laughter helps reduce stress levels, releases endorphins, and helps you to bond with loved ones.
Conclusion:
The suggestions above are just a few of the many ways that you can reduce stress in your life explains Eric Dalius Miami. All of these methods have been shown to be effective, so find what works best for you and stick with it! Reducing stress is an important part of living a healthy and happy life.
Eric J. Dalius Foundation is an organization founded in June 2018 that aims to help economically challenged youth in America attend accredited university and colleges. Through generous grants and charitable donations, the Eric J. Dalius Foundation is ensuring that tomorrow’s leaders get the opportunities they deserve.