Imagine that we are all like a bucket of water. Our stress acts like pebbles, stones, and rocks that can be thrown into our bucket. Some stressors are tiny little pebbles that don’t impact the water levels in our buckets, but over time will build up. Then some stressors are like larger stones and rocks that when tossed into our bucket will splash and cause the water to overflow.
That feeling you have when it seems like you’ve had enough? Welcome to your bucket overflowing.
I want to take a moment to help you identify some of the different stressors in your life. This might be a great opportunity to start a note in your journal or notes app in your phone. Identifying some of our pebbles and stones can help us to find the best ways to manage the stress better.
Physical Stress: This one seems to be the easiest to identify for many women. Physical stress can be anything from old injuries or accidents, to postures our body keeps when we are pregnant, carrying babies and toddlers, breastfeeding and holding our babies. It can be better stress from working out and pushing our bodies to be stronger. It can also be from lack of sleep, or sleeping in wonderfully cuddly co-sleeping positions. Anything that alters your normal physical structures count as physical stress.
Environmental and Chemical Stress: This stress comes from the things we put in or on our bodies. It can be related to the skin care we use on us and our families, detergents and soaps, household cleaning products as well as in the food we consume. Higher processed foods come with an increased risk of exposure to chemicals, as do conventionally grown produce. We also take into consideration the environments we live and work in, too. Pollution from our expressways, cleaning products in our workplaces, schools, and daycares, and chemical pollutants in our water. While we can’t live in a bubble of toxin free everything, we want to help show you ways to reduce that exposure with things you are able to switch out!
Mental/Emotional Stress: Again, this is one that I think most people think about when they think of stress. I, personally, tick off a list a mile long of the things that weigh on my mind every day. Work, our after school activity schedule, who’s taking cold lunch and who’s not, is the jersey needed this weekend clean, have we paid the bills on time, the health of my children and husband…I could go on, and I’m sure you may resonate with much of this too! Often times, mental stress is greatest when we are the “default” person in our household, the one that carries the largest mental load. That’s not to say our partners don’t bear their own mental load, either. Stress isn’t a contest to see who has the most! But its the things that keep us away at night…and see physical stress for how that can be impactful!
I’m sure you can tell, stress is around us each and every day. We can’t run from it (though sitting on a sunny beach with our favorite drink in hand is a close second!). We want to develop a self care plan and routine that helps us reduce our stress and empty our buckets so we can manage it BETTER!
Take a moment and brain dump all of the stress you may have in these categories. (If this only makes you stress more, then its ok to maybe just meditate on it!) Do you see patterns and connections among the list? Are there things you could easily change with no other help that would reduce your stress? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts!
Tomorrow…we tackle my Top 2 Steps to help reduce your Physical Stress! See you then!