April Showers - Diane Marie Ford

Along with the flowers the showers of April bring, the month of April also brings the taxman. For many, thoughts of “the taxman cometh” also brings upon a great deal of stress. Lately, the collective stress level is rising, be it due to the tax man or our current state of affairs. And while many of us welcome good stress, eustress, that which has a positive impact on us, challenges the brain and body and helps us to do our very best; we simply become unraveled when we find ourselves overwhelmed with a case of bad stress, distress, that negative stress, which, over time can lead to ill health. We all know what that feels like, we have all experienced it at one time or another, can’t find your car keys and you’re already late, not prepared for a meeting and the boss is waiting, can’t stand your job, but you must go to work, dealing with a divorce, or illness in the family … what’s a person to do?

Well for starters, you can begin by learning to identify what may be causing distress in your life. Listen to yourself. Tune into your daily activities and get in touch with your body. Track responses to situations and start becoming aware of what may trigger stress for you. Only then can you begin to identify some of your stressors. Example, do you constantly wake up late and jump out of bed, run around to get ready, feel yourself becoming very cranky, because nothing is going right, can’t find your keys, shoe, whatever… feel completely overwhelmed…. you see where I’m going with this? You skip breakfast, jump in the car and you are off! Of course by now you’re cursing at yourself and thinking, “if only I had gotten up when the alarm went off.”Believe it or not – you have control over that! As you begin to identify situations, you will be amazed when you realize just how much is within your control and how you can change or eliminate certain stressors in your life. Ahhhh, such freedom!

The idea is not to eliminate all stress, as we need the good stress, but to learn how to manage it, and we can do that in a number of ways:

Physical activity: will certainly always lessen stress. A brisk ten minute walk will increase your energy and a stimulating 30 minute workout will reduce tension. Physical activity also includes laughter – lots of good, soul-deep belly laughs!
Relaxation exercises, massage, bodywork, visualization and meditation are all excellent ways to get in touch with your body. You may also find your body and mind become less susceptible to stress when you get enough sleep.
Choose your foods wisely and eat only those foods which will support you all day. While you may feel tired, overwhelmed, stressed and sluggish and feel like it is the perfect scenario to reach for your favorite comfort food, (and we all have our favorite) what you thought would befriend you, ends up turning against you and leaving you feeling even more stressed out (and probably guilty).
Find or create a support group, be that friends/family members alive or within the spirit realm, or connect with a personal holistic counselor who will encourage and guide you along your journey. The key is to find someone who will listen to you. Someone who is there when you feel like your world is unraveling. Someone who will gently guide you back to your place of centeredness, safety and calm.
Finally, whatever you do – don’t let it get you down…. A positive attitude is a fabulous preventative medicine!

Spring flowers are blooming and will continue to bloom for you, for me, for all of us. Please make the time to tune into that which brings you joy and share that joy. Imagine Tinker Bell as she spreads her pixie dust around and then embody the delight of it all as you spread your joy, love and peace. You’ve got this!