BARBICAN LIFE
Stress in the City
On The Couch With The Coach: Resident Coach Michele Cohen takes a look at how to manage stress
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7 DAYS OF THE WEEK
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38 W
e live in a busy city and stress can arrive at any time, in
particular, associated with moving, relationships, health and work, and things can feel out of our control and overwhelming. Whilst at times we are fully equipped to deal with these changes, even being excited by the idea of what’s to come, at other instants we can feel drained, with no belief in how this situation could ever be the right one. Taking a break, some time to step back and look at what we can do in the situation; breaking it down from a huge problem to bite-sized chunks that we can deal with, helps us to decide what actions we can realistically take.
In order to feel at our best, it can be helpful to have our own personal toolbox beside us, allowing us to be ready to take out the best tool to use at the right time.
Add into your toolbox things that you find helpful to manage the stressful times, those things that help you to be great. This might be certain food, drink, exercise, your posture, laughter, tears and deep breathing. Does a walk through the park put a smile on your face? Does coffee with a friend make you feel connected? What trip feels like a treat? What are you wearing? If colours and smells enhance your mood, what clothes, shades or scents can you put on? Do you enjoy listening to
music? Do you like a sing- along? What does meditation or visualisation do to your mood? How does reading a good book make you feel? Do you have a
chattering voice that makes you feel negative? What can you say to make you smile? You could put someone else’s shoes into your toolbox! Why? Because, when we look at something from another perspective it can help us to be aware of more options. Perhaps looking at a picture helps to lift an anxious mood and enables us to see more clearly what actions to take. Maybe the smell after rainfall fills us with a peaceful mind and a calmer body. If the taste of an orange wakes us up and reignites a lust for life – hey, eat an orange! If stroking a dog physically lowers our heart rate, then find a dog to stroke. Why bother to do anything?
Well, how do you feel when you have your most positive attitude? Wouldn’t you like to have that whenever you choose? Raising our awareness of how we are currently acting and thinking is the basis of change for the better. Knowing how we want to be, how we want to react, what we want to feel, hear and see; deciding what we can and will do and then taking the first steps, will make positive changes to our lives. For me, it’s looking at the clouds, drinking more water, eating well and singing and dancing along to ‘Twist and Shout’! What will you put into your toolbox?
Michele is owner of Clear Coaching and Training. To arrange an introductory coaching session, please contact Michele directly on 020 7628 0887 or 07939 047 094 or email
michele@clearcoachingandtraining.com www.clearcoachingandtraining.com. Twitter @MicheleJCohen
Michele Cohen Photo by Ravi Juneja
www.Headphoto.co.uk
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