We are all guilty of succumbing to stress. Whether induced by next weekend’s party or an important presentation at work, its effects can be debilitating. But there are ways to keep stress at bay.

Anxiety and stress don’t have to prevent you from living and succeeding. The only thing missing in any situation is that which you are not giving.

What Do Stress and Anxiety look like in the Brain?

Everyone needs a certain amount of stress to survive – it’s what gets us out of bed in the morning and gives us the adrenaline to succeed. However, stress can become a problem when our bodies experience too much of it.

In India:

• 72% of adults feel stressed about money at least some of the time.
• 49% of adults experienced a major stressful event in 2015.
• 48% of Indians say stress has a negative impact on both their personal and professional live.

So, what exactly going on inside your mind when you feel overwhelmed?

• When your body detects stress, the hypothalamus reacts by stimulating the body to produce adrenaline and cortisol.
• These two hormones increase your heart rate, raise your blood pressure and temporarily increase energy to help you ‘fight’ or ‘take flight’.
• When your body recognises it’s no longer in danger, your hormone levels fall and your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal.

But, more often than not, stress can leave you feeling angry, anxious and scared.

Keeping calm in times in trouble –

Here are seven techniques to implement when you find yourself face – to – face with a stressful situation:

1. Plan Ahead –

Implementing simple “if X happens, I’ll do Y”, strategies can help you face challenges as and when they arise.

2. Focus on Breathing –

Practicing slow controlled breathing when you feel anxious can help you return to the present moment and lower your stress level.

3. Exercise –

Physical activity stimulates the production of endorphins. Researchers found that just 40 minutes of exercise enough to dramatically increase your mood.

4. Avoid asking “What if?” –

The more time you spend worrying about the endless possible outcomes, the longer you will spend fixating on feeling uncomfortable. Try to accept that some questions simply won’t have any answer.

5. Focus on the positives –

Keep a go – to list of positives in mind so that you can immediately shift your attention towards them when your thoughts are negative. This will not only boost your mood but remind you of everything you can be granted for.

6. Reject Negative self – talk –

Identifying and acknowledging any negative thoughts about yourself as merely thoughts and not facts will help release you into a state of calm.

7. Forgive –

Nobody is perfect. Holding onto resentment, either towards yourself or others, will only add to stress, worry and fear. By learning to acknowledge negativity before releasing yourself from it will enable you to move forward with a clearer head and a lighter heart.