Okay, so here we are just taking the first steps of managing your own stress, which. Okay, so, here we are taking one of the first and significant steps to managing your own stress, which is to become more aware of how you respond to stress. You're gonna have to do some detective work. Many people are surprised to find out that they're more stressed than they think they are, because they're so used to feeling the way they feel that they do. recognize their body cues as signs of stress. So, I want you to really start to pay attention to times of day, when you start to feel stressed.

Whether it's on the way to work, whether it's getting ready to rush out the door in the morning, whether it's things that happen while you're at work or at school, or at home, trying to manage multiple tasks, and try to pay attention to what was happening. What specifically was happening, don't be too general, but really try to focus on some specifics and then create a map Have the times of day when your stresses are higher versus when your stresses are lower. And then to really understand your stress, I'm going to suggest that you begin a journal. doesn't need to be a formal journal can be scraps of paper, but what you're looking for is patterns. You're going to try and look at what it was about the stressful event that made it stressful. Some common stressors are overload in terms of the demands on you, lack of control to do anything about it.

Interpersonal dynamics and then also in terms of trying to understand the patterns Look at your own personal state. Were you tired? Are you hungry? We all know that lovely even funny commercial called hangry. Where people overreact into their nerves are made to feel better by having a candy bar Are you ill are the scenarios you're in just too noisy, too much going on over stimulating. Even temperature being too hot or too cold can create stress for some people.

So really try to look at your own personal state in addition to the event itself. Take a look at the full body response again. The symptoms you might have experienced the rapid heart rate, the high blood pressure, tense muscles, that sense of hyper alertness and then draw body and mind the places on the body where you feel your own stress, most significantly. Shoulders, upper back, headache, lower back. It's important that you just kind of clue in To the areas on your body that are carrying your stress load. And then finally, just consider whether you are using any strategies already to reduce stress, maybe a hot bath.

Maybe you go for a run. Maybe you practice some yoga or some other kind of physical activity that stretches your body moves your body in different ways. Do you listen to music? Do you read a book? You may have your own strategies beyond this that are very effective. Playing with children getting out in nature, any of those, but pay attention to them.

And try to figure out how you might add more of those stress reducing activities into your life. And I'm going to say my personal experiences, it's easier to add them into your life. For me, when I add them in with a friend, or with a family member, or with my grandchildren, especially dancing, listening to music, but some of them clearly, reading a book or having a hot bath are strategies you use just to enjoy being by yourself. And again, we're all different. What works for you it will be different than what works For someone else, the most important thing is to make use of that detective work to really kind of think about how you're going to plan going forward. Okay, so that's your, your assignment until the next session gets